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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28942911">Devil’s Advocate</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangexunusual/pseuds/Strangexunusual'>Strangexunusual</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Beetlejuice - Perfect/Brown &amp; King</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst and Feels, Beetlelands in later chapters, Character Development, Drama, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Feels, Fluff and Smut, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Gen, Heavy Angst, M/M, Multi, Post-Canon, Return, Revelations, Second Chances, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Smut, Teenage Drama, Trust, Trust Issues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 04:15:15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>30,956</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28942911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Strangexunusual/pseuds/Strangexunusual</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Maitland-Deetzes may have been quick to forgive Betelgeuse for his past actions, but as he gradually begins to show that he’s feeling more alone as time passes by, it reveals a side of the demon to the Maitlands that they never imagined they’d see. </p><p>And, as they spend more time around him to make him feel welcome and less alone, the Maitlands learn some new things, not only about Betelgeuse but about themselves as well, that soon have them both questioning whether they really know themselves, each other, and Betelgeuse. </p><p>Formerly titled “On The Off Chance”.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice &amp; Charles Deetz &amp; Delia Deetz &amp; Lydia Deetz &amp; Adam Maitland &amp; Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice/Adam Maitland, Beetlejuice/Adam Maitland/Barbara Maitland, Beetlejuice/Barbara Maitland, Charles Deetz &amp; Delia Deetz &amp; Lydia Deetz &amp; Adam Maitland &amp; Barbara Maitland, Charles Deetz/Delia Deetz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Call to Mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Maitlands and the Deetzes spent the weeks that followed everything that had happened as a result of Betelgeuse's doing both getting to know one another and getting used to being a household and family consisting of three living residents and two deceased residents. Though it would be, and was, considered unusual to be living with the dead, the Deetzes didn't seem to think so. </p><p>Lydia loved having the Maitlands around the house, often opting to spend a majority of her time with them, which her dad and Delia didn’t seem to mind. And so did Charles and Delia. It might have been strange, at the very least, but it was never boring. Sometimes, Adam and Barbara would provide some entertainment to the Deetzes, using whatever new powers they had recently learned about via reading through the Handbook for the Recently Deceased or through some help given to them from Lydia.</p><p>Last week could be taken as a sort of example. Adam and Barbara had spent one cool autumn evening following dinner showing off the ghostly skills that they had learned and mastered just that very morning. Though it had unfortunately ended with Lydia nearly ending up somewhere that was not a location that the Maitlands had had in mind, none of the living was that upset with the two ghosts and all was forgiven almost immediately.</p><p>The following day for the Maitlands had been spent by them playing games that involved the use of their powers with Lydia and Charles and Delia had initially returned home to a giggling pile of two ghosts and a teenage girl (when they asked what had gone on, the response had initially been laughter from the lot of them followed by a hysterical recount of the day's events by Adam and Barbara - neither of whom was even able to suppress a giggle or two as they spoke).</p><p>Speaking of the two ghosts....</p><p>Adam joined Barbara in the kitchen as the bright light from the sun filtered in from the windows of the dining room. It was early in the morning on a Saturday in late-November and Charles and Delia had initially said that they would be out for most of the day, leaving the house to the Maitlands and Lydia, who was on Thanksgiving break. And Lydia herself had made her way downstairs and into the kitchen not too long after Adam had, sitting herself down at the kitchen island and awaiting her breakfast.</p><p>She looked up at Barbara, who was in the middle of making pancakes, and then over at Adam with a smile on her face. “Good morning, Barb. Adam.”</p><p>Both ghosts turned their attention onto her, a small smile forming on Barbara’s face as she levitated a plate of freshly made pancakes down onto the kitchen island and right in front of the waiting teenage girl. “Morning, Lydia. Did you sleep well?” </p><p>“Well, I didn’t have any more nightmares of the sort like I’ve been having on a nightly basis. So yeah, I guess that I slept well.”</p><p>“That’s good to hear,” Barbara commented, levitating over and setting down a fresh glass of milk for the teenager, her and Adam sitting on either side of her as she started up on eating her pancakes.</p><p>Barbara and Adam remembered the nightmares that Lydia had been experiencing every night over the last few weeks, which seemed to be the exact same one based on what she had mentioned to the two of them every day for the last few weeks. The previous night, Lydia had awoken in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, letting out a loud, piercing scream that had sent the Maitlands running down the stairs and phasing through the door to Lydia’s bedroom. They had found the teenager sat over near her pillow and curled up in a ball with her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, rocking back and forth and breathing heavily.</p><p>Barbara had sat down on the bed next to the teenager, running a hand up and down her back as she calmed her down and let her know that everything was alright. When Lydia had calmed herself down just enough, Barbara asked her what had happened.</p><p>She’d gone into full detail of the nightmare she had had the morning after the first night that  she had had it, explaining everything in detail from how it had gone from her being stuck inside of the Netherworld with little to no way out to her suddenly being back at the Maitland-Deetz house trying to get away from Betelgeuse, who was holding what appeared to be the exact same bad art that she had used to kill him. </p><p>Lydia finished up the last of her pancakes and placed the empty plate and glass inside the sink to be washed later on in the day. As she headed back up the stairs to her bedroom for a little while to have some time to herself, she could faintly hear the voices of the Maitlands as Barbara went to wash both dishes.</p><p>However, that time didn’t last that long...</p><p>A few of Barbara’s ever-so-familiar gentle knocks sounded on Lydia’s bedroom door and the teenager sat herself upright on her bed, turning her attention over towards the door. “You guys can come in if you want.” </p><p>Barbara phased through Lydia’s bedroom door first, with Adam following closely behind. They found the teenage girl sat down on her bed, both looking at and scrolling through her phone. Adam immediately snapped his fingers and made her phone go a little haywire. Lydia set her phone face down on her bed, directing her attention onto the Maitlands.</p><p>“Hey!” she exclaimed in a rather playful tone of voice, letting loose a laugh. “What on Earth did you do that for, Adam?”</p><p>He shrugged. “Remember when you told us that ghosts could tamper with electronics?” </p><p>“When did I talk about that?”</p><p>“Yesterday afternoon. You were reading about ghosts on your phone.” </p><p>“Right....”</p><p>“So, anyway,” continued Adam, looking over at Barbara before returning his attention to Lydia. “We wanted to see if we could really do that, hence why I made your phone go haywire.”</p><p>“Can you return it back to normal please?” Lydia asked, rolling her eyes playfully as a semi-amused and small smile crept across her face. She picked up her phone, which was still opening random apps on its own, and handed it over to Adam. He focused his energy solely on fixing Lydia’s phone and it immediately went back to normal as he handed it back to her. “Thanks, Adam. Maybe next time, you don’t do it just for your own fun. Except maybe as a prank of sorts towards my dad or Delia.” </p><p>“Great idea. Maybe we’ll do it to your dad’s computer at some point in the afternoon. Make it seem as though the power went out,” Adam suggested, exchanging a sly look with Barbara before returning his attention to Lydia again. </p><p>Lydia chuckled as she turned her attention over towards her alarm clock. Deducing that it was time for a mid-morning snack, headed downstairs, leaving Adam and Barbara to discuss making Charles’ computer go haywire.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. It’s All Fun and Games</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The sounds of the Maitlands sorting through boxes in the attic made Lydia think that they had forgotten all about pranking her dad by making his computer go haywire, the teenager making her way over towards the far corner of the room, where she knew the two ghosts most likely were at the moment. She rounded the corner to find Adam placing a box upon a high up shelf using his ghost powers. The teenager stayed standing still in the corner, waiting until Adam and Barbara had finished up with sorting through all those boxes. Then, when both ghosts were done, she slowly made her way over towards the two ghosts when they turned to look in her direction.</p><p>“Lydia, are you okay?” asked Barbara with concern laced in her voice, placing a hand on the teenager’s shoulder. </p><p>“I’m fine. I was just wondering if you guys are still going to go through with your plan to prank my dad by making his computer go haywire. Or if you decided against it.” </p><p>“Oh, no no... we’re still going through with it. But we’re not sure if it’s a good idea. When I used my powers to make your phone go haywire, you didn’t sound all that amused. Or even think that it was funny.” </p><p>“I was amused. And it was funny,” Lydia countered with a sly grin and a shrug. </p><p>“You are such a kidder,” said Adam with an equal sly grin plastered on his face, reaching out an ice cold hand and tickling the teenager nonstop, Lydia almost immediately bursting into a bout of laughter.</p><p>“ADAM!!!”</p><p>Lydia tried to push Adam away from her as Barbara reached a hand out as well, also tickling the teenager nonstop and making her laugh a little louder than she had previously been doing. She tried to playfully get away from her adoptive ghost parents, but they both immediately went right back to tickling her. </p><p>“Cut it out you guys!” Lydia said out of clear amusement, somehow managing to slip out of the Maitlands’ hold. </p><p>Sly grins creeping across the two ghosts’ faces, Adam and Barbara leapt towards the teenage girl, knocking her to the ground and resuming tickling her. Lydia burst into an even louder bout of laughter that almost... almost broke something that belonged to the Maitlands back when they were alive. Barbara was glad she caught it in time, levitating it back to where it had been previously before turning her attention over towards Lydia with a serious yet amused grin on her face.</p><p>“I think you should be more careful next time,” the female ghost reminded Lydia.</p><p>“Aren’t I always?” Lydia quipped, looking directly at Barbara.</p><p>“Lydi-...” Barbara started, only to trail off as Adam tackled her to the ground and started tickling her nonstop. She giggled amusingly, pretending to crawl out directly from underneath him. “Adam! Cut it out!”</p><p>“Never!” her husband said in a funny voice, making her giggle more.</p><p>“Look out below!” Lydia shrieked out with excitement, the Maitlands stopping with their tickle fight and looking upwards just in time to see Lydia running, jumping, and crashing into them. </p><p>Landing in a pile in the middle of the attic floor, the three of them burst into rather heavy bouts of laughter. The Maitlands, though still laughing in perfect unison, teleported out from underneath Lydia, stopping the teenager from crashing into the floor face first and standing her upright. Lydia moved off to the corner, finding a nearby chair to sit on. </p><p>“I think that we should do this more often!” exclaimed Lydia, letting out a hearty chuckle as she leaned backwards in the chair and very nearly caused it to topple over. Barbara used her powers to steady both Lydia and the chair she was sitting in. </p><p>“Maybe whenever your dad and Delia aren’t home?” laughed Barbara, letting out a sigh.</p><p>“Like now?” inquired Lydia, looking a little curious.</p><p>“Isn’t it after twelve?” </p><p>“In the morning or afternoon?” Lydia asked, her previous curiosity becoming amusement as a playful smirk crossed her face. Barbara raised an eyebrow in a look of amusement and shook her head. Lydia was something alright.</p><p>“You know what I mean, silly,” Barbara laughed.</p><p>“Yeah. I do. I guess I am kind of hungry,” Lydia said, glancing down as she heard her stomach start to rumble. “I’m in the mood for some soup.” </p><p>She and the Maitlands left the attic, making their way down both sets of stairs and into the house’s kitchen. Lydia sat herself down at the kitchen island, eagerly awaiting the soup that Barbara had materialized out of thin air and put in the microwave before turning it on with her powers. Once the soup was done cooking, Barbara levitated it out of the microwave and poured it in the bowl that Adam had gotten out of one of the cupboards before setting the bowl of soup and a spoon down in front of Lydia.</p><p>Barbara turned to the sink, starting on washing the plate Lydia had most likely put in there after her mid-morning snack an hour and a half or so ago. When a loud plonk sounded, followed by a quiet grumble, she turned her attention over towards Lydia, whose head was resting on the counter with the bowl of soup she had previously been eating upside down and on top of her head. Some of the remnants of the soup were in her hair and the spoon was nowhere to be found. </p><p>“You, Lydia Deetz, are something alright,” Barbara chuckled to herself as she materialized a wet cloth out of thin air and moved over towards where Lydia was sitting at the kitchen counter, dabbing some, but not all, of the soup from the teenager’s hair.</p><p>“I’M AWAKE!!” Lydia shouted as she shot up in her chair and nearly launched the bowl she was still wearing off of her head and directly into the living room, where it very nearly smashed into a dozen pieces. </p><p>Barbara was more than lucky to have caught it in the nick of time, placing it in the sink to be washed and turning her attention towards Lydia with an amused smile on her face.</p><p>“Come here, you!” Barbara tried to sound stern, but that was almost impossible with the smirk that crossed her face.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was a rather fun and amusing chapter to write.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Family Values</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lydia giggled amusingly as she ran to hide behind a chair in the living room, a smirking Barbara running after her with an ice cold hand outstretched, laughing quietly as she tried to catch up to the teenager. Adam stood over in the corner, an amused look on his face as he watched his wife and adopted pseudo-daughter have fun. Lydia ran out from behind the chair she was hiding behind and made a beeline for the stairs leading up to the second floor of the house. But it wasn’t long before Barbara teleported herself on the stairs in front of Lydia. The female ghost grinned amusingly at the teenager as she came to a stop, reaching out a hand and attempting to tickle her.</p><p>But Lydia just smirked playfully at her, moving around her and continuing on her way up the stairs and to her bedroom. </p><p>“No fair!” chuckled Barbara, teleporting up to Lydia’s bedroom right as she slammed shut and locked the door. “Lydia, are you in there?” </p><p>“No...?” Lydia lied, trying not to giggle but failing.</p><p>“Yes you are,” Barbara said amusingly, phasing through Lydia’s bedroom door and finding the teen hiding under her quilt and laughing to herself. A smirk crossed Barbara’s face as she levitated the quilt off of the teenager.</p><p>“Barbara!” Lydia laughed, climbing off her bed and unlocking her bedroom door again before rushing down the stairs.</p><p>Upon hearing faint giggling from the bottom floor of the house, Barbara teleported right back downstairs to find Adam and Lydia covered with blankets in the middle of the living room, staying silent. Barbara chuckled to herself, making her way over to the taller blanket and levitating it off to reveal her now snickering husband. Soon after, Lydia pulled the blanket she was covered with off and threw it to the side.</p><p>“What’re you two up to exactly?” Barbara asked in an amused tone of voice, rolling her eyes playfully.</p><p>“It was all Adam’s idea,” grinned Lydia, a widened smile on her face. </p><p>“Was it now?” remarked Barbara, playfully raising an eyebrow. </p><p>“If I recall correctly,” Adam suddenly spoke up, looking from Lydia to Barbara and back towards Lydia. “You were the one who asked me to do that, Lyds.”</p><p>“That was after you threw a blanket at my head with your powers, ghost dad,” retorted Lydia with a laugh and an eye roll, causing both Adam and Barbara to roll their eyes in response. Lydia picked up the same blanket that she’d thrown off to the side and a pillow, chucking them in Adam’s direction. The male ghost snickered as he turned transparent, causing the blanket and the pillow to pass through him and end up halfway across the kitchen floor.</p><p>“Hey now!” Adam teased, the tone of his voice rather playful as he levitated the pillow that Lydia had thrown at him up into the air and chucked it back at her. This caused the teenager to duck as the pillow sailed back into the living room and landed a few feet from the pristine white rocking chair that Delia had recently bought as an addition to the living room.</p><p>Lydia pulled out her phone the moment a ping sounded and opened it up to find a text message from Delia saying that she and Charles would be home much earlier than previously expected. Upon telling the Maitlands, they nodded and put the pillow and blankets back where they previously had been.</p><p>Five long minutes had passed, and eventually the sound of Charles’ car pulling into the garage was heard, followed by the sound of the garage door closing. Delia came in first, followed by Charles, who had a couple of bags in his hands. He set them down on the kitchen island before turning his attention on Lydia and the Maitlands, who had since joined both him and Delia in the kitchen.</p><p>“What’s in those bags of yours, dad?” Lydia questioned curiously, looking closely at the bags on the island then turning her attention back towards her father.</p><p>“You’re going to find out soon, Lydia,” was her dad’s response.</p><p>Lydia nodded in response, moving to sit at the kitchen island. Delia and Barbara went to stand over near the stove, starting on dinner for that night. Barbara used her powers to open up the fridge and levitated out exactly what Delia asked her to, floating it all over to the part of the countertop next to the stove.</p><p>Charles and Adam had retreated to the living room, talking about what had happened with Lydia and the Maitlands whilst the older Deetzes were away and about what the older Deetzes were up to that day. Lydia pulled out her phone to message a friend she had made a couple of weeks ago. Barbara used her powers to stir whatever was on cooking on the stovetop at the moment, before eventually turning it off.</p><p>Barbara snapped her fingers and the pan emptied it’s contents, spaghetti, into the three bowls that were waiting on the kitchen counter; having been put there by Delia just five minutes prior. Delia took the sauce she’d been heating up in the microwave within the last minute and took it over to the kitchen table, Barbara levitating the three bowls of spaghetti over to the table as well, setting them down on the Deetz’ usual spots.</p><p>The five of them sat around the kitchen table, chatting happily amongst themselves as the Deetzes ate. If it wasn’t for Lydia putting spaghetti in her hair (like she used to do when she was younger and her mom was still alive), and all four adults chortling in unison, then that dinner, like most other dinners they had together would’ve been dull.</p><p>Delia and Barbara stood over by the sink, Delia washing the dishes and then handing them over to Barbara, who levitated them back into the appropriate cupboards and drawers. Once done, the two females joined Lydia, Adam, and Charles in the living room, the two bags that Charles and Delia had brought home with them sat on the white coffee table. Lydia had her eyes trained on both of the bags, completely forgetting about the remnants of spaghetti that were still in her hair. At least until Barbara commented on it,</p><p>“Do you want me to clean that spaghetti out of your hair, Lyd?”</p><p>“Sure.” Lydia turned and looked up at Barbara and nodded in response, allowing the female ghost to snap her fingers and make the spaghetti that had been in Lydia’s hair vanish completely. Lydia smiled softly, turning her attention back over towards the two mystery bags on the coffee table as her dad picked up the rightmost one and handed it to her. He then handed the leftmost one to Adam and said that it was for both him and Barbara.</p><p>Lydia opened her bag and pulled out a small talisman and a ouija board, looking from her dad and Delia and back again, a surprised look on her face. “Thanks,” was all she said as Adam and Barbara opened their bag and Barbara pulled out a set of scented candles, the two ghosts giving Charles and Delia equal smiles.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Word for Word</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As Adam and Barbara helped Lydia put the talisman she’d gotten from Delia around her neck by levitating it up around it, Lydia suddenly felt a bit off... like there was something up with the jewel of the talisman. As Barbara and Adam finished and backed away from her, their eyes widened in shock as they noticed Lydia’s skin turn a little paler in shade; almost white; than it usually was. Barbara quickly lay Lydia down on the couch and used her powers to remove the necklace from around her neck. Almost immediately afterwards, the teenager felt a bit better and sat up.</p><p>“What on earth was that?” Barbara asked cautiously, scratching her head. </p><p>“Not sure, but it was strange.” Adam carefully levitated and put the talisman necklace back in its box, willing it away with a snap of his fingers in hopes that it would never hopefully show up again.</p><p>Barbara took another glance at Lydia, who had once again laid herself down on the couch, now face down, face buried in a pillow. Barbara laughed on the inside as she levitated the pillow from underneath the teenager’s face and caused her to groan playfully. Lydia sat up again, looking back towards Barbara.</p><p>“Thanks for that, guys. I’d have to say that in the short amount of time that I wore that talisman necklace of mine, it gave me a sort of terrifying vision. Then a weird feeling came about. One that I can’t even describe in detail.” The teenager let out a sigh and a much needed breath, closing her eyes and opening them again.</p><p>“But you’re okay, right?” Barbara guessed knowingly. </p><p>“Yeah...” Lydia focused her attention on the ouija board she’d gotten, only for Adam to teleport it away.</p><p>“No, Lydia...” he laughed, rolling his eyes playfully.</p><p>“Adam, I wasn’t going to take it out of the box. I was just going to look at the box itself.” The teenager rolled her eyes as well, sticking her tongue out at him. He playfully did it back at her, a goofy grin stretched across his face.</p><p>Once Adam had teleported the ouija board box back into Lydia’s hands despite making more goofy faces, the teenager moved over to the middle of the living room and sat the box on the floor before sitting in front of it. Almost immediately, she took the lid off the box and Adam sighed and laughed, he and Barbara moving to stand over near where Lydia was sitting, both ghosts folding their arms and giving Lydia amused yet stern looks. </p><p>“I thought that you said you weren’t going to take the ouija board out of the box, silly,” Adam amusingly joked.</p><p>“I only said that to get you to give it back to me, ghost dad,” responded Lydia, looking up and giving the male ghost a humorous look. </p><p>“You kidder!” laughed Adam, leaping towards and tackling the teen to the ground before proceeding to tickle her nonstop, causing her to laugh. After a few long minutes of it, however, he ceased with it and stood up, allowing Lydia to sit upright and take the ouija board out of the box.</p><p>Lydia turned her attention over to her ghost parents, an inquisitive look in her eyes. “Can you guys play this with me? You can say a bunch of funny things through it to make me laugh.”</p><p>Adam exchanged a worried and tense, yet flustered look with Barbara before the two ghosts turned their attention over towards Charles and Delia, both of whom had the same looks plastered on their faces. Then they looked back over towards Lydia, Adam saying, “hmmm... I don’t know about that, kiddo...”</p><p>“Please?” asked Lydia, turning her attention solely over to Adam.</p><p>“Maybe sometime tomorrow morning,” Barbara firmly stated after a mental conversation with Adam, placing one of her hands on her hip and giving Lydia a strict, but calm look. “It’s getting dark after all.”</p><p>Lydia glanced out of a nearby window, then at the time on her phone. “It’s 8:30. Just one small session and then I’ll go upstairs.”</p><p>“Fine,” laughed Barbara. “But only for half an hour.” </p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>Lydia nodded in response, sitting herself on the floor in front of her ouija board as her dad and Delia headed up the stairs to do their own things. Adam and Barbara made themselves transparent, but still visible to Lydia, their hands extended out in front of them. As soon as Lydia started the session, the first word that Adam decided to spell out through the ouija board was ‘malarkey’.</p><p>“Hahaha... Adam!!! Cut it out!” Lydia spurted out as she burst into a bout of laughter. “That was too funny!” </p><p>“I agree with Lydia,” said Barbara, amusement in the tone of her voice. “My turn!” </p><p>She concentrated hard, managing to spell out ‘bumfuzzle’; which made Lydia laugh even louder than she had been.</p><p>Balderdash!</p><p>Amphigoric!</p><p>Blather!</p><p>Capricious!</p><p>Rigmarole!</p><p>Lunacy!</p><p>Quatsch!</p><p>Razzmatazz!</p><p>Slipslop!</p><p>Lydia burst into a long and amused bout of laughter, and the Maitlands eventually joined in on it after a few long minutes, the amount of fun they had out of spelling out all of those random words through Lydia’s ouija board faltering. Again, she put the board away, its box still sitting there on the floor unopened, pulling out her phone and checking the current time. 9:10.</p><p>“Shit!” Lydia cursed under her breath, putting her phone away. Barbara gave her a stern and serious look.</p><p>“Language,” the female ghost sternly reprimanded the teenager, shaking her head.</p><p>“Sorry,” the teenager apologized. As she went to head upstairs, Adam speaking up stopped her in her tracks.</p><p>“Aren’t you forgetting to do something?” he asked, his right hand extended out towards the empty, unopened box that was still sat there in the middle of the carpeted floor. Lydia spun on her heel, looking down towards it.</p><p>“I’ll put it back into the box in the morning,” Lydia said rather tiredly, pausing to yawn in between her words. Adam and Barbara looked at each other, nodded in unison, and then turned their attention to Lydia. The teen girl was just standing there, eyes half closed, looking half asleep and Barbara helped steady her so she didn’t fall. </p><p>“C’mon. Let’s get you upstairs and into bed,” the female ghost said as she and Adam levitated the teenager into the air with their powers, failing to notice the ouija board’s planchette lazily start to spin as they all left the room and headed upstairs. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. On The Off Chance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning, Lydia came downstairs half an hour after the Maitlands had and found them both standing in the living room with the ouija board that Lydia had gotten the previous day lying in the middle of the floor. They had their eyes focused on it confusedly. Lydia made her way into the living room, coming to a stop in front of them and sitting herself down on the carpeted floor. She focused her attention onto the two ghosts, concern laced within her voice.</p><p>“What’s going on?”</p><p>Barbara pointed a hand at the ouija board and Lydia turned her attention down towards it, just now noticing that the planchette was facing a completely different direction than it had been the previous night. Lydia rolled her eyes, turning the planchette so that it was facing upwards and putting it back in its box before putting it away. </p><p>She and the Maitlands headed into the kitchen area right as Charles and Delia came downstairs for the day, Barbara immediately getting started on making breakfast and Delia going to join her and help. Adam and Charles had moved over to the living room and Lydia took a seat at the kitchen island. A plate of freshly made pancakes was levitated down in front of the waiting teenager, as well as a glass of milk, and she got started on the uppermost one as Delia and Barbara conversed, the two adult females eventually moving over to the living room.</p><p>Lydia finished up the last of her breakfast and set the empty plate and cup into the sink before joining the rest of her family in the living room.</p><p>“You guys up for playing a game?”</p><p>All four adults looked up when they heard her getting out one of her favorite board games and then at one another, playful, confident, and determined smirks flashing across each of their faces as Lydia set the chosen board game in the center of the living room. Barbara stood up and moved to sit by the waiting teenager, followed by the rest of the family, the five of them now sat in a neat circle around the game. Lydia opened the box, setting up the game as Barbara levitated the box off to the side.</p><p>“What are we playing?”</p><p>“Ask Me Anything. It’s very similar to trivial pursuit. Except in that it’s played differently.” </p><p>Barbara nodded.</p><p>“You want this piece, ghost mom?” Lydia asked slightly amusingly and playfully as she held a green play piece out towards Barbara.</p><p>When the female ghost reached out a hand to take it, Lydia held it just out of her reach.</p><p>A playful and sly smile crossed Barbara’s face as she placed her right hand on her hip and eyed the laughing teenager. “Hey! You kidder!” </p><p>Lydia rolled her eyes and tossed the piece to Barbara, who caught it with her powers.</p><p>She set it on the board. When everyone else picked their play pieces (Lydia had amusingly decided to pull the same joke she pulled on Barbara on the rest of her family, which in turn had caused them all to erupt in a twenty minute bout of laughter) and set them on the board (Lydia was black, Delia picked the clear one, Adam had settled on the blue piece, and Charles had decided to use the red one), Adam levitated the instructions out of the box.</p><p>Or rather, snapped his fingers and made the instructions teleport out of the box.</p><p>“The game starts with the youngest player rolling the two dice and going first. Then the rest of the players take their turns going clockwise. The different colored squares on the board are each represented by a similarly colored stack of cards that each have a different category written on the back. When a player’s piece lands on one of the colored squares, the player will pick up a card from the matching stack and ask one of the other players a question.”</p><p>“Okay then! Lydia, your turn!” Barbara floated the two dice out of the box and set them down in front of Lydia.</p><p>Lydia picked up the two dice and threw them gently onto the carpeted living room floor, rolling two threes. She carefully picked up her black play piece and moved it ahead six spaces, landing on a pink space. She reached over and picked up the topmost matching pink colored card, reading out the category on its back to herself before looking around at the rest of her family, her eyes landing on Barbara.</p><p>“Hey, Barbara,” she said, directing the attention of the female ghost onto her. “Have you had any boyfriends before Adam?” </p><p>Barbara looked off to the side for a few minutes, deep in thought, then turned her attention back over towards the teenager with an amused smirk plastered on her face. “Aren’t you only supposed to ask silly questions based on what category you pick?” </p><p>Oh... right... Lydia rolled her eyes. </p><p>“Barbara, what’re the sexiest and least sexiest names?” At that, the rest of the family burst into laughter, then got quiet as the female ghost thought up her answer.</p><p>“Hmmm... sexiest name would be Adam’s. As for the least sexiest, probably Betelgeuse’s.”</p><p>Everyone else froze when she spoke Betelgeuse’s name for the first time in the few months they’d been a family of five, then Adam, Charles, and Delia looked at one another before turning their attention back over to the female ghost.</p><p>“I thought we agreed to not say Betelgeuse’s name after what he did,” Adam pointed out rather warily. Everyone else turned their attention onto him. A second time. </p><p>“I know, but Lydia just happened to ask that and Betelgeuse was what popped into my head when she said least sexies-...” Barbara’s voice faltered and she trailed off before she could finish her sentence, clasping a hand over her mouth. Oh no!</p><p>The lights started flickering for a few seconds, the power going out. When the power came back on not even a second later, the five of them looked up as an even brighter flash of light appeared in the far corner of the living room. When the light faded away, Betelgeuse stood right where it had initially been, gazing over at the rest of the family; who had backed away. And the game that they had been playing was now put away. </p><p>A look that was a mix between a wicked grin and a sorrowful smile flashed across Betelgeuse’s face as he turned his attention over to everyone else. The Maitlands and the older Deetzes were all now stood protectively in front of Lydia, shooting angered, furious glances in his direction. And to that, he held his hands out in front of him. </p><p>“What? Are none of you happy to see me?”</p><p>“Not...” Barbara hissed. “In the slightest.”</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Beyond Belief</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Now Betelgeuse appeared to be hurt by what Barbara had just said, pulling a pouty face at her and the rest of the equally as angered adults of the Maitland-Deetz family as the four of them stood their ground and glared daggers at the unwelcome demon intruder that stood before them. Before now, the five of them had initially agreed amongst themselves to not say Betelgeuse’s name on the off chance that he would eventually return to the house (which, to be fair, they’d all guessed that was going to happen; but not in the way that it did happen). But now...</p><p>Barbara menacingly took a few furious steps towards the demon (could they still consider him to be a demon?) again, jabbing an ice cold finger into his chest area and causing him to back away from her and up against a wall.</p><p>She snapped, “now I’d appreciate if you went right back to the Netherworld, mister!” </p><p>“But... you and sexy summoned me,” he whined, once again pouting at her, but that was doing nothing to get Barbara, or the rest of the family for that matter, to change their minds and allow him to stay.</p><p>“Which, I admit, was a mistake,” once again snapped Barbara, now glowering at Betelgeuse and folding her arms.</p><p>“C’mon. It wasn’t a mistake,” he said, a smirk now appearing on his face. “I know that you and sexy and the Deetzes all want me around the house. I regret what I did before, by the way.”</p><p>“I don’t believe you one bit,” spat Barbara.</p><p>To prove his point, an angelic halo appeared over Betelgeuse’s head as his hair turned a shade of golden yellow. But Barbara, and the rest of the family, still weren’t perturbed in the slightest that he was, in fact, telling the truth.</p><p>“How’s that going to prove to us that you have, in fact, changed?” asked Adam sternly.</p><p>The halo disappeared as quickly as it appeared and Betelgeuse turned his attention solely over to Adam, who had his arms folded and his gaze focused directly on the demon.</p><p>“Well, I didn’t kiss you and Babs upon reappearing did I?”</p><p>“Well... no... but... how’s that exactly going to prove to us that you’re not going to do it to us anymore?” Adam stammered, biting at his lip and keeping his pissed off, but confused gaze locked solely on Betelgeuse.</p><p>“Exactly,” said the demon, going to teleport over to the couch and relax for a bit. “Unless you two do in fact want to make out with me sometimes, which, by the way, I’m totally open to do so whenever.”</p><p>“No!” said Adam and Barbara almost immediately at once. “Absolutely not!”</p><p>Betelgeuse didn’t seem to hear that, moving in to dip Barbara in a kiss before the female ghost pushed him off of her and backed away from him looking even angrier than she was before. And Adam had moved to stand beside his wife, holding onto her for comfort as his eyes locked on the demon. He stood with his gaze fixated on them, a smirk plastered on his face as his hair flashed between blue and pink and back to blue again.</p><p>“And that means you haven’t changed,” spurted out Barbara, taking a step towards the demon. </p><p>A grin flashed across Betelgeuse’s face as he moved forward a little and reached out to dip Adam into a kiss, but not before Adam growled lowly and fiercely, slapped his hand away, and furiously looked into the demon’s eyes. </p><p>“Get out before we make you!” he warned, his teeth grit.</p><p>“Adam, Adam, Adam... my man,” Betelgeuse spoke ever so softly, winking at the male ghost.</p><p>But Adam kept his steady, yet ever so serious, gaze locked and focused solely on the demon as he started circling him furiously, coming to a complete stop behind him and eventually moving to quickly draw a door to the Netherworld once Barbara had mouthed to him to do so and summoned and levitated a piece of green chalk over to him. </p><p>“So, are you changed for the better or do you want to go right back to the Netherworld, Betelgeuse?” demanded Adam.</p><p>“I- I... I,” he stammered, unable to come up with an answer to Adam’s question.</p><p>Charles stepped forward, his furious gaze lingering on Betelgeuse. And one could tell that there was a fire behind the living male’s eyes as he spoke.</p><p>“Look! It doesn’t matter whether he’s changed or not. Betelgeuse, leave the house and the five of us alone! NOW!!!” barked out Charles as he narrowed his eyes, pointing a finger towards the door to the Netherworld that was recently drawn by Adam.</p><p>Betelgeuse frowned slightly. He knew when he wasn’t wanted around. But one thing he wasn’t sure about was whether or not he could go back to the Netherworld again after this. He figured he was most likely going to be stuck here for the time being. So, he might as well stick around... if the Maitland-Deetzes were to forgive him for his past actions.</p><p>“I SAID LEAVE NOW!” Charles snarled out in rage, his stern face, like the rest of the equally angered adults of the household, getting redder and redder the longer the demon stood there.</p><p>“Nah, I figured that I might as well stay here for now. Since I’m not exactly welcome in the Netherworld right now as it seems.”</p><p>“What do you mean?” a now outraged Barbara demanded of the demon, the redness from her face disappearing as it contorted into a look of confusion as the previous feeling of anger faded just slightly. </p><p>And it seemed that the anger present on the rest of the adults’ faces had also faded away slightly as they, too, stood there and stared at the demon in confusion.</p><p>Betelgeuse rubbed at the back of his head, looking nervously off to the side. “W-well, after the whole of the Netherworld found out ‘bout my mom’s death, they’ve not been as welcoming towards me per se. I can’t go back there because-.”</p><p>“Because...” Barbara spoke up, raising an eyebrow. </p><p>“Because once I leave the Netherworld, I’m stuck in the living world indefinitely.”</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Snap Decision</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Stuck in the living world indefinitely? The Maitland-Deetz family turned and looked at one another, equally as concerned. Now, they weren't exactly sure if Betelgeuse was telling the truth or not. Although he did sound sincere, a few of the things he had said sounded as though he wasn't telling the truth. So, to be fair, they were torn between whether or not he was being honest or not. </p><p>Betelgeuse was now relaxed on his back on the couch, his hands resting behind his head and his legs crossed over one another whilst the entire family stood off to one side, nervously looking at one another and then over at him before looking at one another again, all unsure on what they should do. Trusting Betelgeuse may have seemed like it was the right thing to do, but the five of them were wary about giving him a second chance; since they were sure that the demon would ruin it not too long after being given it.</p><p>Charles turned to Betelgeuse and cleared his throat, directing the demon's attention over to him. "Ahem... mister Betelgeuse, do you mind giving the rest of us some time to ourselves to talk this over?" </p><p>"Sure thing, Chuck!" And, with that, he teleported up to the attic. </p><p>Charles turned to the rest of the family, who had now moved to sit on the couch, and went to sit opposite them. Although he was unsure on what to say, he cleared his throat quietly. "If anything, I'd say he's lying."</p><p>"Lying?" questioned Barbara, sounding a little confused, with Adam and Delia humming in agreement. "I don't think he's lying. If anything, I think he's in fact changed and I for one am willing to give him both a second chance and a chance to be a part of the family. What about you guys?" </p><p>Charles stayed silent, whilst Delia and Adam agreed with Barbara. They looked to the living male and awaited his answer. But the living male just crossed his arms, stood there, and did not look at all happy about what had happened. </p><p>"He needs to go!" Charles spat out after a few minutes. "That's that. My decision's not going to change."</p><p>"Charles, at least give him a chance like the rest of us are," Delia said, standing up, making her way over to her fiancé, and taking his hands in hers. </p><p>"Fine!" he huffed after a few minutes. "But I have a bad feeling about this."</p><p>After a while, the Maitlands had teleported themselves back up to the attic and immediately found Betelgeuse sat down somewhere and reading through their copy of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased, choosing to sit down next to him. Betelgeuse looked from Adam to Barbara, becoming nervous as he put the Handbook for the Recently Deceased off to one side.</p><p>"Hey, sexy, Babs..." he mumbled, his hair turning a shade of light bluish purple. His head was hung, he had his eyes closed, and it was clear to the Maitlands that the demon didn't know what to say. Adam and Barbara glanced at one another, both of them placing a hand on his back. </p><p>"Hey..." they replied, looking equally as nervous as Betelgeuse was. Betelgeuse's hair turned from its previous shade of bluish purple to a shade of full on purple. An apologetic, sorrowful look was stretched across his face as he again looked from Adam to Barbara.</p><p>"You okay, Betelgeuse...." Adam spoke up, sounding unsure about saying that, considering he, Barbara, and the Deetzes were (mostly) still angry at him for what he'd done. But that was earlier...</p><p>"I'm fine. Thanks for asking..." he replied. </p><p>Adam and Barbara glanced at one another as the demon stood up and moved a few feet to the center of the attic, sitting down and facing away from the Maitlands. And soon the two of them started to hear the demon making what sounded to them like a series of saddened sniffling noises. </p><p>And that in itself worried them even more than they were expecting.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. To Each Their Own</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Betelgeuse-?" Barbara chose to speak up, trailing off before she could think of anything else to say. The words just couldn't come to her.</p><p>The demon turned his head in her direction, then focused back on looking at and studying his fingers - which he had been doing for a while now. As if he could say that it was likely distracting him (which he knew it wasn't, but still). His hair had since gone back to its usual shade of green, but the Maitlands took immediate notice of the little bit of light pink that was peeking through it. Or at least trying to peek through it. They both still could see it clearly though, and they noted the unsure, nervous look on his face. </p><p>When it became clear to her and Adam that the demon was not paying attention to either her or to Adam, Barbara lightly tapped him on the shoulder. </p><p>"Betelgeuse?" </p><p>His eyes widened in surprise at the sudden touch and his head snapped up, the color of his hair now becoming a full on shade of pink that seemed to be mixing in with a little bit of blue and a little bit of purple. Which the Maitlands both took as a sign that Betelgeuse seemed confused. Scared. Like he wasn't expecting that. Barbara, who had had a hand extended out just in case, quickly retracted it and gave the demon a sort of mixed curious, inquisitive, and especially worried look.</p><p>"I-..." he suddenly sputtered out, sounding a little nervous. </p><p>His eyes darted around the room before focusing again on Barbara, who now had her hands folded in her lap. Her gaze was focused on Betelgeuse, a warm look within it. Her smile was soft and she didn't seem to be that angry at him unlike how she and the others were earlier that day. And a brief wave of relief seemed to wash over Betelgeuse as he eventually calmed down. </p><p>He turned his attention away from Barbara as he closed his eyes for a brief second. Opening them again, he focused once more on Barbara - who was yet again giving him an inquisitive look, her head tilted to the side like a curious puppy. </p><p>"I take it that means you're okay?" Her voice was soft, warm even.</p><p>"I-..." he started, then stopped when the right words didn't seem to want to come to him. "Is- was it a mistake? Was you and Adam summoning me a mistake?" </p><p>Barbara recoiled at this, looking to be a little taken aback by that particular question. She hadn't anticipated on Betelgeuse even asking something like that. It seemed that his hair had taken on a shade of sky blue, which was indicated in that he was now hanging his head, his eyes closed and a sorrowful, upset, and lonely look on his face.</p><p>"What? No! It's not! At least not right now!”</p><p>"You're just saying that, you know," Betelgeuse said, his tone of voice filled to the brim with remorse. "You still think that you and Adam summoning me was a mistake. You, Sexy, and the Deetzes are all still angry at me for what I did and don't want me around here. I know when I'm not wanted anywhere so I should just leave you guys all alone and just go back to the Netherworld where I belong. Go ahead. Go and say my name three times again and banish me back to the Netherworld." </p><p>Barbara peered around Betelgeuse and gave Adam a concerned look, one which the male ghost returned. Barbara, turning her attention back to Betelgeuse, took the demon's hand in hers and caused him to open his eyes and look down at her in surprise. His uncertain look was met with another warm smile from Barbara, and that made his hair turn a shade of rosy pink this time. However, his gaze flicked from Barbara and down at the attic floor. </p><p>"Betelgeuse, look at me. Listen." Barbara frowned slightly when the demon would not turn his attention back to her, then rested a hand on his back. That seemed to grab the demon's attention. He looked at her, but the uncertain look remained. </p><p>"What are you waiting for?" he inquired, still sounding remorseful. "Go ahead and send me back to the Netherworld. Just say my name two more times and I'll be out of your hair."</p><p>"Beej, no!" Barbara said, tone of voice stern. "I'm not going to do that!"</p><p>"Then I'll just have Lydia go right ahead and do it." Before the demon could even do as much as teleport away to find the aforementioned teenager, Barbara placed her other hand on top of his shoulder and gave him a stern, but calming look. Again, he looked at her. </p><p>"She's not doing that either. And neither are Adam or Charles or Delia. And if you ask me to do it again, then my answer's going to remain 'no'."</p><p>He huffed and looked away from her, his hair color becoming half blue and half green. </p><p>When the demon went silent and chose not to say as much, Barbara chose the time to continue, "Look, Betelgeuse, it's fine. Everything's okay. It's all good. We forgave you for your past actions. We're not mad at you anymore. We promise you." </p><p>His response? "You sure don't sound like you've forgiven me. Deep down inside, you're still furious at me." </p><p>Barbara struggled to come up with a response, having a feeling that this conversation was going to go nowhere. After a while, Adam, his voice a bit worried, instead chose to be the one to speak up, </p><p>"What makes you think we're still angry at you?" </p><p>"Because you are," the demon replied. "That's it."</p><p>Adam, now unsure of a response of his own, bit his lip as he and Barbara again exchanged worried glances. The demon’s hair color reverted back to a complete shade of blue as he again focused his attention away from the Maitlands. Closing his eyes, he was waiting for either ghost to go through with banishing him back to the Netherworld. But when nothing seemed to happen, he again opened his eyes and glanced from Adam to Barbara, noting the calm, soft looks on their faces. </p><p>“What are you two waiting for? Go ahead and banish me.” </p><p>“Beej, we’ve been over this,” Barbara replied in a calm, soft tone of voice, her and Adam each taking one of the demon’s hands in theirs and looking up at him. “We’re not going to do that. End of discussion.” </p><p>Again, he looked from one ghost to the other and sighed. Maybe they were right. Maybe he should let them give him a chance and banish him to the Netherworld if he does anything he shouldn’t. It seemed to be fair. His hair became its usual shade of green again as he relaxed slightly, seeming and feeling a bit calmer. </p><p>“You okay now?” Barbara asked after a while, hoping that their previous conversation was nothing but over. </p><p>Betelgeuse wanting them to banish him back to the Netherworld and forget about him was the least of their worries. It didn’t matter now. He was here for now and they could hopefully work things out, the six of them, as a family. It was only a matter of time. And they all hoped he really was changed, which, as evidenced by just how remorseful he sounded throughout their conversation, was a possibility. </p><p>Betelgeuse tensed slightly, then slowly started to nod in response to her question. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Growing Concerns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In reality, however, Betelgeuse was not fine. A fact of which the Maitlands could easily tell when the demon's hair color became and stayed a bright shade of blue. His head was hung and his eyes were closed. And the Maitlands had since gone back to trying and calming him down. Well, out of the two of them, it was mostly Barbara who was trying to again calm the demon down. But still...</p><p>Barbara, like Adam, now had a hand resting on Betelgeuse's back, the former of the two ghosts trying her best to calm the demon down by whispering comforting words and the latter of the two ghosts now rubbing comforting circles into the demon's back. Betelgeuse had since fallen silent, and the Maitlands could tell that he was most likely still thinking about and wanted them both to banish them to the Netherworld. And they both certainly would've done earlier if given the chance. But for now, they were glad that they didn't.</p><p>But maybe Betelgeuse was right.... maybe deep down they were still angry at Betelgeuse for his actions.</p><p>'No,' they thought to themselves in unison. 'He's here now. And we're willing enough to give him the second chance that he deserves. Like he assumed earlier, the two of us did, in fact make a mistake by saying his name and summoning him. But maybe, if we get to know him better, start over, he may not be that bad after all.'</p><p>Barbara opened her mouth to say something, then closed it when she couldn't find the right words to say. She, like Adam, and the Deetzes as they assumed, had now pushed all of their bad memories of Betelgeuse to the back of their minds, wanting to make new and hopefully good memories with the demon. Barbara closed her eyes, relaxing for a minute, then opened them again, turning her attention onto Betelgeuse, as had Adam, both of the ghosts sporting worried looks on their faces.</p><p>"Betelgeuse-..." Barbara finally managed to say after a few minutes, stopping and trailing off when she again was unsure of what else to say.</p><p>Betelgeuse opened his eyes, but kept them focused solely on the attic floor and not on Adam and/or on Barbara. And it seemed now to the two of them that he was still a little nervous but a little calmed down, a little speck of the normal green color slightly peeking out through his still bright blue shade of hair.</p><p>Barbara went to say something else, but was cut off by Betelgeuse. "I would have thought that you would've banished me back to the Netherworld by now like I asked the two of you to. Go on. Go on and do it."</p><p>"Betelgeuse, like I explained to you earlier, we've been over this," Barbara said in a calm, yet stern and serious tone of voice. "None of us are going to banish you back to the Netherworld even if you keep asking us to. Before now, we would've done so as soon as possible, before now, we wouldn't have decided to give you one more chance or even allowed you to be a part of the family. But that was then and this is now. End of discussion."</p><p>Betelgeuse said nothing in response, choosing instead to play with his fingers and his hair reverted to its original shade of green by now, which the Maitlands immediately took to be a good sign. However, he still didn't seem to turn his attention away from the attic floor and over towards either Adam or Barbara.</p><p>Again, both of them unsure of what to do as of now, the two ghosts looked at one another with equally worried looks on their faces. It seemed that the demon was going to need more than just them to calm him down and comfort him. Make him feel more welcome.</p><p>'Maybe we should talk to Delia about it?' the two ghosts thought to themselves in perfect unison. 'She'll know what to do.'</p><p>However, before the three of them could even teleport downstairs to find the aforementioned female, a few knocks on the attic door grabbed their attention as the familiar voice of Delia called out,</p><p>"I sensed some negative energy coming from here all the way downstairs. Is something the matter?"</p><p>Barbara stood up, made her way over to the attic door, and opened it to let Delia in.</p><p>Delia walked in and looked around the attic as Barbara closed the door behind her and the living woman's gaze eventually landing on a purple haired Betelgeuse and a worrisome Adam, the latter of the two males both trying and failing to comfort the former and calm him down. Giving up after a few minutes, seconds?, Adam, still worried, turned his attention over towards both females. Though he was unsure of what to even say about the situation at hand, nothing was coming to him. So the only thing that he could think of doing at the very moment was shrugging.</p><p>Delia chose to be the first to speak up, looking concerned at Betelgeuse. "What's the matter with him?"</p><p>"He seems to think that him being summoned here was nothing but a mistake," Barbara explained in a concerned voice, with Delia nodding along. "Kept asking us to go right ahead and banish him back to the Netherworld. Even after we made it clear that we weren't going to do that and that it's no longer a mistake."</p><p>"He also seems to think that we're still angry at him and haven't forgiven him for what he did to us," inputted Adam. "And that we'd be better off without him here."</p><p>Delia nodded again and Adam stood up as she made her way over towards were Betelgeuse was still sitting with his head still hung and his eyes still closed, a remorseful look plastered on his face. Sitting down next to him, Delia placed a hand on the demon's back in order to grab his attention.</p><p>"Betelgeuse?"</p><p>He opened his eyes and quickly glanced down at her before turning his attention back down towards the attic floor. This time, however, he kept his eyes open. Delia, now as worried as the Maitlands were, turned her attention over towards both ghosts and gave the two of them a concerned look before turning her attention back to Betelgeuse.</p><p>"Betelgeuse, do you want to talk?"</p><p>However, all he did was just let out an inaudible upset noise and add, "there's nothing to talk about."</p><p>Delia bit her lip as she thought up what to do, giving the Maitlands another worried look. At once, both ghosts teleported themselves over to where Delia and Betelgeuse were sitting and sat themselves down on either side of them. Barbara sat down right beside Delia whilst Adam chose to sit down beside Betelgeuse.</p><p>The demon let out another inaudible noise, then fell silent as a hint of blue appeared in his hair. Adam, Barbara, and Delia looked at one another. Maybe having the whole family here would help Betelgeuse feel less nervous. It was definitely worth a shot. Now knowing what to do, Delia nodded as stood up and headed out of the attic to get Charles and Lydia. That left all three deceased people alone for now, with Adam and Barbara looking at one another then back down towards Betelgeuse, who made a soft pained noise.</p><p>And it didn't even take more than five minutes. Delia's familiar knocking sounded on the attic door and Barbara snapped her fingers to open it. One by one, each of the living members of the family entered the attic and Barbara used her powers to close the attic door once Lydia had stepped through.</p><p>Delia cast a glance in Betelgeuse's direction again. "He still worried?"</p><p>"Yeah." Barbara nodded in response. Once Barbara had gotten up and sat herself down again beside Adam, Delia and Charles moved to sit to the right of Betelgeuse whilst Lydia opted to sit on the attic floor right beside where Adam and Barbara were sitting. Betelgeuse let out a sigh-like noise that sounded a bit negative.</p><p>"Betelgeuse, everything okay?" Delia asked in a concerned tone of voice, frowning slightly when the still-purple and blue haired demon didn't say much of anything in response. She tried again after a few minutes, “Bj?”</p><p>This time, however, in a soft, but still gruff voice, all he seemed to say was, “please leave me alone. I want to be alone right now.”</p><p>At the same time, Delia, Adam, and Barbara each opened their mouths to say something but, before they could, however, Betelgeuse teleported away in a flash of light. Most likely to the roof.</p><p>All five of them worriedly looked at one another, stunned in silence, and Barbara said exactly what was currently running through each of their minds at the moment,</p><p>“So... is anyone going to go out to the roof and make sure he’s okay?”</p><p>When no one in the room other than Adam seemed to answer, Barbara sighed to herself as she and her husband stood up. “Well then, I guess we have to.”</p><p>Nodding, and seeming as how it was now lunchtime, the Deetzes stood up and one by one they left the attic to head downstairs and make their lunch. Adam and Barbara turned and looked worriedly at one another before teleporting out of the attic and out onto the house’s roof, the both of them preparing for the worst.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. You Said it Yourself</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Betelgeuse leaned himself against a bit of the roof, his hair a bright shade of blue with a hint of purple mixed in with it. Over a dozen things ran through his mind at once, with the most prominent thing being that the Maitlands and the Deetzes were completely fine with him not being there. </p><p>And he was just about to turn around and draw a door to the Netherworld to go through and leave them behind for the better when the concerned voice of Barbara rang out, </p><p>"Betelgeuse?" </p><p>He slowly turned and looked over in her and Adam's direction then looked away from the two of them, now focusing his attention on the ground below, silently hoping that they would just forget about him. Give up and go back inside. But that was not what happened. </p><p>Instead of going back inside and leaving him out there on the roof like Betelgeuse originally thought they both were going to do, Adam and Barbara opted to stand on either side of the demon, giving him concerned looks that he seemed to not take notice of. And his hair was now a full on shade of blue. Neither ghost could find the right words to say, a deafening silence befalling all three deceased that was broken when Barbara spoke up,</p><p>"Beej, we just want to make sure that you're okay. We're worried about you." </p><p>At that, Betelgeuse's hair immediately went back to its usual shade of green. But only for a split second before it became the previous shade of blue again. His attention slowly drifted from the ground three stories below and over towards Barbara, the latter of the two giving Betelgeuse a soft, warm smile. As was Adam, actually. And all that Betelgeuse seemed to want to do at the very moment was make a sad, disgruntled noise in response to Barbara's question, worrying both ghosts further and causing them to glance at one another before looking up at Betelgeuse again. </p><p>"So... you're not okay?" Barbara guessed, earning a sad nod from Betelgeuse. "Do you want to talk about it?" </p><p>Betelgeuse, unable to find an answer, remained silent. </p><p>Barbara turned and gave her husband a look that said 'what should we do' before looking up towards Betelgeuse again, an expression on her face that mirrored the one that Adam had on his. Betelgeuse had his eyes closed, not wanting to look at either ghost. Which Adam and Barbara took as a sign he wasn't interested in talking right now. But neither one of the two ghosts wanted to leave him be, exactly, choosing to remain put.</p><p>In unison, Adam and Barbara leaned against the railing at the edge of the roof and glanced down at the ground before again looking at Betelgeuse. </p><p>"Betel... please..." </p><p>"...I-," was all he could think of saying before falling silent again. However, a few minutes later he spoke up again, his tone of voice barely above a mumble. "There's nothing to talk about."  </p><p>"Bj, please. We at least need to talk things out. Like we said.... Ad and I are worried about you. Lydia, Charles, and Delia are worried about you. Please..."</p><p>"No you're not. You're all still angry at me." </p><p>"That's not true," Barbara stressed out, hand over top where her heart would be had she not died. "You know it's not. We know it's not. We're not angry at you anymore. We promise you we're not." </p><p>"You didn't do as much as forgive me for everything I did," Betelgeuse continued, paying no attention to what Barbara had said. </p><p>Barbara's arm dropped to her side, her giving Adam yet another worried look. One which he returned almost immediately afterwards. Turning and looking up at Betelgeuse again, both ghosts noticed he had his eyes closed again and still didn't want to look at either one of the two ghosts. </p><p>"What are you talking about? Of course we forgave you for what you did in the past. It's all good now. We've gone through this over a dozen times, Betelgeuse." </p><p>Betelgeuse opened his eyes and side glanced at her before his attention back towards the edge of the roof. "What are you talking about?" he repeated, his voice both quiet and barely above a whisper. "That's exactly what Lydia said to me before leaving me alone to go find you guys. Before she left me alone all because she wanted her mom back in her life." </p><p>Now Barbara was confused. Again, she looked at Adam then up at Betelgeuse. She opened her mouth to say something, and when not much of anything came to mind, she closed it again. Betelgeuse let out a quiet sigh, the blue in his hair fading ever so slightly. Though the Maitlands could still see it. </p><p>"I-..." Betelgeuse continued, pausing to think of what to say, then speaking up again. "She said that when I brought up our friendship." </p><p>Adam and Barbara each opened their mouths in unison, the both of them wanting to say something. But it was Lydia opening up the window that led into the attic and stepping out of it that caused the two of them to close their mouths again, them and Betelgeuse turning their attention over towards the teenage girl. Barbara moved off to the side, giving Lydia enough room and the teen immediately moved to lean against where the female ghost previously was standing. </p><p>"Is Betelgeuse okay? Delia said that she would've come up here immediately after lunch but then both she and my dad had to go out and do something really quick. So I came up here instead," Lydia said, Adam and Barbara nodding along. </p><p>"He went from talking about how he thinks that we're all still angry at him to how he thinks that we still haven't forgiven him to talking about you saying 'what are you talking about' to him," Barbara explained. Lydia turned her attention from Barbara to Betelgeuse and then back at Barbara. </p><p>"You said it yourself," Betelgeuse said quietly, turning Lydia's attention over towards him again. "You responded with 'what are you talking about' when I asked if we were still pals. If we were still best friends. And then you left me alone." </p><p>Lydia looked confused for a second, then shook her head a few times. "No, Beej, that's not what I meant when I said that." </p><p>"Then what did you mean?" he asked.</p><p>"I-...." Lydia started to say before she fell silent, unsure of what else to say. She had not even thought about it much after Betelgeuse had gone back to the Netherworld those few months ago, it having completely slipped her mind. She looked down before returning her attention to Betelgeuse and taking a much needed deep breath. "I didn't intend for you to take that as meaning that we were no longer friends, Bj. We're still friends, I promise." </p><p>"It certainly doesn't feel like we're friends anymore," concurred the demon, his hair becoming blue again. "It wouldn't matter. You don't care about me like the rest of your family." </p><p>"I-... what?" Lydia looked to Barbara, still confused. She rested a hand against her forehead and closed her eyes. Opening them again, she turned her attention to Betelgeuse. As did Adam and Barbara. "What do you mean it doesn't feel like we're friends anymore. I just want to try being friends with you again. I mean, you're here now. Everything's okay. Like Adam and Barbara said, they've forgiven you, my dad, Delia, and I have forgiven you. Everything that you did a few months back is all in the past and-."</p><p>“Wait? All of that was a few months ago?” Betelgeuse questioned out of confusion, cutting Lydia off mid-sentence and causing her to glare at him with a look of annoyance appearing on her face. “Feels more like a year passed by.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Harder to Believe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Betelgeuse's hair color switched between blue and purple at a constant rate before finally deciding to settle on blue and he shifted a little, his hands resting firmly on the railing as his attention drifted from Lydia to Adam to Barbara before focusing and locking on the ground below. The fact that everything that had happened happened only a few months prior kept running through his head, the only thing that he could think of at the moment. A teeny smidge of purple now appeared to peeking out through the top of his hair and he closed his eyes for a brief second before opening them again.</p><p>"Betelgeuse?" </p><p>That was Barbara. He turned to look in her direction, noting that she had a hand resting on his arm. Her eyes, full of softness, were focused on him and he noted the worried look on her face. </p><p>"Are you okay?" </p><p>That time, it was Adam. Betelgeuse's attention moved from Barbara to him before he shifted, looking down again. The next thing the demon said, he muttered out, his hair fully going back to blue,</p><p>"A few months ago.... I can't believe that it's been a few months..."</p><p>"Betelgeuse? Beej?" </p><p>Now that voice was Lydia. Betelgeuse turned his attention again. Lydia was now standing right in between Adam and Barbara, the three of them glancing up at Betelgeuse with equal worried, maybe even concerned, looks on each of their faces. </p><p>"I... what happened?"</p><p>"What do you mean?" questioned Barbara both softly and warily, though it was far more softly, sharing a confused look with Adam and Lydia before turning and looking back up towards Betelgeuse.</p><p>"I... umm..." Betelgeuse said in a quiet tone of voice, falling silent for a brief moment before speaking up again. "What happened in the few months I was in the Netherworld?" </p><p>Barbara turned and glanced unsurely at Adam and Lydia again, not knowing whether or not this was something that they should bring up with the demon. It wasn't his business to know about their brief and private time as a family of five, yes, but were they all in the right mind to talk this through with him? Or should they change the subject?</p><p>The second option seemed more likely. </p><p>Barbara turned back to Betelgeuse, her stern, but still soft gaze locked on him. "Can we talk about something else please?" </p><p>"Like what? How sexy A-Dog is?" Betelgeuse questioned, his hair going back to its normal shade of green. Barbara looked up at him in concern and worry. </p><p>Betelgeuse's gaze was now locked solely over onto Adam and he was winking and smirking at him. Adam backed away from him, hands held up in front of him, a nervous look plastered on his face, and Betelgeuse focused his attention away from Adam as he looked back down over the edge of the roof. </p><p>'At least he's back to his usual self,' Barbara thought uneasily to herself. 'Who knows how long it'll last until he goes back to being depressed and thinking that we don't actually want him around?' </p><p>Not long, that was for sure. The next thing to come out Betelgeuse's mouth was, </p><p>"Ah, never mind. I should just leave and go back to the Netherworld." He turned and started to draw a door to the Netherworld. </p><p>And he was only just halfway through drawing the first line when Barbara's rather amused sounding voice spoke up, "Hey now, mister 'because once I leave the Netherworld, I'm stuck in the living world indefinitely', I thought that you couldn't go back?"</p><p>God, that sounded flirty. Barbara regretted saying it in that tone. </p><p>Betelgeuse snapped his fingers and the chalk he was using to draw said door disappeared in a poof. He turned to look at Barbara, taking notice of the amused, yet confused expressions that were plastered on her, Adam, and Lydia's faces. His hair went from blue to purple before settling on a mix of the two and green.</p><p>"Oh yeah... I forgot," he finally said after a brief while, laughing slightly and rubbing at the back of his neck. "Once a deceased person leaves the Netherworld, they can never go back there. They're stuck in the world of the living permanently." </p><p>Adam looked confused, as did Barbara, the two ghosts tilting their heads to the side.</p><p>"Okay," Betelgeuse slowly moved over to where Adam, Barbara, and Lydia were and sat down, followed closely behind by the other three as their attention turned to him. "Say that Lydia's mom were to leave the Netherworld for a day. At the end of the day, she draws a door to the Netherworld to head back. What happens?" </p><p>"I'd assume that she wouldn't be able to pass through," Barbara spoke up, hoping to herself that her given answer was correct. </p><p>"You're actually half correct," Betelgeuse spoke up, Barbara's face falling slightly. "That's the first thing that happens. The second and other thing that would happen is that she would get thrown backwards if she tried to go through. I'll give a demonstration." </p><p>Before either Barbara or Adam could even say that that wasn't necessary, Betelgeuse stood up again and summoned the same piece of chalk that he'd used earlier as he moved back to the same wall on which he was drawing that unfinished door of his and drew a brand new one. Knocking three times, he turned to look at the Maitlands as said door opened, stepping towards it. And, as sure as he might, he was in fact unable to pass through and was thrown backwards just like he said he would. </p><p>Barbara and Adam looked down at him in concern as he uttered out, "you see what I mean now?" in a dazed voice. </p><p>Then Barbara turned to Lydia then looked at Betelgeuse again as Adam helped the demon sit upright, asking out in confusion, "but what about a living person that just so happens to enter and then leave the Netherworld? What happens to them the next time they try to enter that place? Will they experience the exact same things as a deceased person that tries to enter the Netherworld shortly after leaving?"</p><p>"Well, the living both don't and will not usually enter the Netherworld since doors to the Netherworld are technically invisible to the living eye..." Betelgeuse turned to look at Lydia for a brief second before turning back to Barbara. "So, I would just automatically assume that, if the entire world population of living people could see doors to the Netherworld, then they'd just enter as many times as they could and wanted to." </p><p>"I see..." Barbara turned to Lydia, taking notice of a smirk stretched across the teenager's face. "No, absolutely not, Lydia. I'd rather you not go back to the Netherworld."</p><p>“But... imagine if I could actually find my mom this time? Once I return to the living world with her, she could stay with us...”</p><p>“I’m afraid that Barbara’s right, Lydia. I don’t think that I would want you going back to the Netherworld either. And I’m not sure if your dad or Delia would want you going back there either.” </p><p>Lydia slumped with a huff, folding her arms and pouting, a grumpy look on her face. There went her next chance to have her dead mom back in her life. As Adam and Barbara turned their attention over towards Betelgeuse and started to talk to him, wanting to know more about how the Netherworld worked, Lydia took the opportunity to stand up and head back inside, intent on heading back to her bedroom on the second floor for the time being. </p><p>And she just so happened to head back inside and shut the window behind her right as the Maitlands frantically called out her name.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Feel-Good Factors</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw for mentions of a character considering cutting themselves in this chapter.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Stay here. I'll be right back," Barbara spoke up, standing up and prepared to head back inside the house to make sure that Lydia was doing okay. But not before Adam chose to stand up as well.</p><p>"No. You stay here. I'll go back inside to check on her."</p><p>But Barbara seemed insistent that she be the one who go in. "No no. It's okay, Ad. I go in and check on her. You and Betelgeuse can stay out here." Adam turned to Betelgeuse then returned his attention to Barbara, giving his wife a simple nod. Though he was starting to think that it'd be easier for both of them to head back in and check up on Lydia. And what Betelgeuse said next seemed to imply that that was what should happen,</p><p>"You two can go back in if you want. I'll be fine out here..."</p><p>Worriedly, they both turned towards Betelgeuse and Barbara was the first of the two ghosts to speak up, "no... no... Betelgeuse... you don't have to stay out here." </p><p>"It's the only place here that I can stay... considering that I'm not at all welcome here.... might as well just live up here while I'm at it," Betelgeuse mumbled in response, turning away from Adam and Barbara. </p><p>Both ghosts exchanged a glance, then turned back to Betelgeuse. </p><p>"Beej, no... you can't just decide to live out here on the roof..." Barbara moved to stand to the demon's left; Adam, to the right; all three deceased people just standing there at the edge of the roof and looking down. And not a single word was spoken by any of them. At least until Betelgeuse decided to again speak up, his voice soft, nervous, and unsure,</p><p>"Why not?" </p><p>"Well...." Barbara responded, then paused to think of what else to say. "Because we don't think it's fair if you live out here on the roof. We can talk to Charles and Delia later and see if we can work something out. Does that sound okay?" </p><p>Betelgeuse mumbled something inaudible and quiet that sounded to the Maitlands like it could have been something positive, but both ghosts were left unsure since it also sounded like it also could've been something that was both negative and depressive. But whatever it was, the Maitlands seemed to accept that as a yes. Adam and Barbara turned to head back inside, then briefly stopped and turned back towards Betelgeuse. </p><p>"Do you want to come back inside with us?" Barbara asked, sincerity and warmth in the tone of her voice. </p><p>.Betelgeuse turned towards her as he formulated an answer in his mind to the female ghost's question. He figured he should shake his head no but when he found himself nodding yes in response, he felt himself get pulled back inside the house as soon as one of the two ghosts grab a hold of his hand. And, sooner rather than later, he found himself suddenly off of the roof of the house and outside of the house's attic space. Whichever one of the two ghosts it was who'd grabbed a hold of his hand had since let go of it. And Betelgeuse glanced down the hallway he'd just now found himself standing in only to catch sight of both ghosts already halfway down it.</p><p>"Where are you two going? Are you leaving me alone?" It was the second one out of the two questions Betelgeuse had asked that caused the Maitlands to stop walking and turn towards him with equal looks of confusion and concern appearing on their faces. Betelgeuse's hair immediately turned a shade of blue as he glanced down towards the carpet of the second floor hallway and shuffled his feet in anguish. "I knew it. You both are leaving me alone just like I thought you would." </p><p>Barbara shared a quick glance with Adam, the two ghosts almost immediately teleporting over towards Betelgeuse. </p><p>"Betelgeuse, no. We're not going to leave you alone. We never are. You should know that by now," Barbara said, trying her best to comfort him. "We were just going to check up on Lydia and make sure that she's okay. The poor girl got so upset over us telling her that she couldn't  head back into the Netherworld and bring her mom back with her that I'd be surprised if she didn't want to speak to us again. Which I hope doesn't happen."</p><p>Adam nodded in agreement to that.</p><p>"But it's clear that I don't," was all Betelgeuse could think of saying, him turning half invisible but still visible enough that the Maitlands could still see him. </p><p>Barbara and Adam looked away from him for a brief moment, then turned back over towards him. Betelgeuse's eyes were still focused down towards the hallway floor. And, before any of them could think of saying anything else, a loud slam directed their attention over towards the other end of the hallway - where Adam and Barbara could clearly see Lydia heading down the stairs to the main floor of the house.</p><p>Instinctively, both ghosts teleported themselves and Betelgeuse down towards the main floor of the house just in time to see Lydia enter the main bathroom and leave the door open just a crack. Barbara turned to her husband and Betelgeuse, telling them to stay outside for a brief while whilst she teleported in to talk to Lydia. </p><p>Both males nodded in response and Barbara nodded back, immediately teleporting into the bathroom.</p><p>How she found the bathroom was concerning. It was dimly lit, and Lydia stood over by the sink, her eyes studying what appeared to be something sharp in her hand. And Barbara knew exactly what it was. She had to figure out a way to stop Lydia from going through with this before the worst could happen. </p><p>And she did the first thing that came to mind.</p><p>"And what do you think you're doing with that razor blade of yours, young lady?" Automatically and with a look of surprise or sheepishness appearing on her face upon realizing that she'd been caught, Lydia dropped her razor blade and spun on her heel to face Barbara.</p><p>"What razor blade?"</p><p>Barbara raised an eyebrow, resting a hand on her hip and gazing sternly at Lydia. The latter's attention drifted to the razor blade that was now unused and still sitting on the bathroom sink before turning back towards the still furious looking Barbara.</p><p>"Oh... that razor blade..." Lydia let out a hearty laugh and Barbara's previously furious look softened to a stern, unamused look. "Well, if you said no to me heading into the Netherworld and bringing my mom back whilst I'm still alive, then why not cut myself... kill myself... and do it?"</p><p>"And possibly be unable to go back to the Netherworld once you do?" Barbara reminded the teen, who looked down sadly upon remembering that particular fact - which had somehow slipped her mind.</p><p>"Oh..." Lydia spoke, a sheepish and apologetic look appearing on her face as her attention focused away from the tiled bathroom floor and back over towards Barbara - the latter of the two's expression softening to one of calmness and comfort as she reached a hand out and rested it on Lydia's shoulder.</p><p>"Lydia, if you think of doing something like this again... you know that you could just come up to the attic and talk things through with Adam and I or with your dad and Delia rather than just going through with it. Remember that for next time, okay?"</p><p>"Okay..." Lydia nodded in response.</p><p>Before either one of them could even say anything else, Adam phased halfway through the bathroom door with a panicked expression on his face. Barbara and Lydia turned to face him in unison with Barbara being the one to speak up,</p><p>“Adam? What’s the matter? Where’s Betelgeuse?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. A Forlorn Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Unsure of how he should phrase this, Adam phased completely through the bathroom door and moved to stand over near where Barbara was standing. Lydia was now leaning against the wall facing the bathroom door, her previous and second failed attempt to try and take her life now out of mind. </p><p>Adam rubbed at the back of his neck, biting his lip and looking off to the side as he tried to think of the best way to mention this. But still, not much of anything seemed to come to mind and the male ghost shifted a little as he closed his eyes. </p><p>Barbara raised an eyebrow, tilting her head as she glanced at Adam confusedly and curiously. </p><p>“Please don’t tell me he’s gone back up to the roof...” </p><p>“Yes actually,” was Adam’s response. “He’s gone up there to sulk for a bit. Said he wanted to be left alone for now. And I think it’s best we respect that. Wait until he comes around and learns that everything is in fact okay, because I can’t bear to see him still all sad and unsure of us....” </p><p>Barbara nodded solemnly in response, knowing fully well that Adam was right. It would be best for them to leave Betelgeuse alone for the time being. </p><p>But then again... </p><p>Another, more concerning, thought appeared in Barbara’s mind and she turned on her heel to face Adam. When her husband noted the worried look on her face, he spoke up out of confusion and concern, </p><p>“Barbara, something the matter?” </p><p>“I-... I don’t think it’s best for us to leave Betelgeuse alone for the time being....” </p><p>Adam cocked his head in confusion, then what it was that Barbara meant hit him. His eyes widened in realization and he slapped a hand against his forehead, regretting saying that. “Right... I forgot that was going to lead him to believe he was right to think that we were just going to leave him alone.” </p><p>“Agreed.” Barbara nodded in agreement. “Why don’t we give it at least another hour before we go up and check on him. Does that sound okay?” </p><p>Adam and Lydia hummed in agreement, both of them nodding slowly in response and in unison to Barbara’s suggestion. </p><p>Adam turned his attention to the since and still abandoned razor blade that was still sat on the edge of the bathroom sink before his gaze flicked to Lydia - who had noticed the stillness in the ghost’s posture and looked off to the side in embarrassment and regret to her earlier actions. It was clear to Adam that the teenager did not want to think about that at the moment. </p><p>Turning his attention to Barbara, Adam lowered his voice and spoke in a hushed tone, “what happened to Lydia? What’s that razor blade doing out on the bathroom sink both unattended and unused?” </p><p>“Lydia... well she... how do I put this...?” Barbara paused for a split second, trying to find the right words to say, then spoke up again in a hushed tone of voice of her own, “she... tried to cut herself earlier. I’m lucky that I managed to both stop her and talk her out of it before anything could happen. I know one thing for sure: I definitely do not and did not want to break the news to Charles and Delia had she actually done so.” </p><p>Adam hummed in agreement, him and Barbara glancing over in Lydia’s direction and noting that the teenager was now hanging her head and looking down towards the bathroom floor - shuffling her feet. Concerned for Lydia just as much as Barbara herself was, Adam knew that he had to ask, “Lydia, you doing okay? Do you want to talk about it?” </p><p>When the teenager didn’t do as much as maintain eye contact with either Adam or Barbara, it made the two ghosts even more worried about her than before. They glanced over towards each other, then turned their attention back towards Lydia, Adam having to repeat the exact same question from earlier. </p><p>This time, it was met with an inaudible grumbling like noise from the teenager - who then, in a huff, added, “do I look like I want to talk about it?” </p><p>In response to that, the expressions on both of the ghosts’ faces grew equally as stern as one another as their gazes locked solely onto Lydia. </p><p>“I don’t think we like that tone of yours, young lady,” Barbara voiced her opinion, with Adam nodding in agreement. </p><p>Barbara’s expression sooner or later softened, as did her own tone of voice. Reaching out a hand, Barbara rested it on the teenager’s shoulder and that in itself caused the teenager to look over in both her and Adam’s direction. </p><p>“Lydia, please... we still need to talk about this as well as mention it to your dad and Delia when they get home. But... if you’re not ready to talk about this with us, then that’s okay. We can just give it some time. Alright?” </p><p>Lydia nodded, then added, “alright. But can we not bring this up with my dad and Delia?”, as she looked from Adam to Barbara then back down towards the bathroom floor. </p><p>Adam and Barbara looked at one another, nodding before turning their attention back towards Lydia. </p><p>“Okay!!” Barbara affirmed with a soft smile, again looking over towards Adam and mouthing out, “Adam, honey, what time is it currently?”</p><p>“Nearing around dinnertime, it looks like,” was the male ghost’s response, him glancing down towards his wristwatch before his attention focused back over towards Barbara - who nodded in response. </p><p>Convincing Lydia to come out of the bathroom with them was one thing. The whole time in which dinner was being prepared, as well as throughout the said dinner, Lydia, Adam, and Barbara were all unusually silent, and as an added bonus - Lydia was eating her dinner rather slowly than she usually did. And Betelgeuse himself hadn’t done as much as even teleported into the dining room at any and all point during the dinner - which only served to make the five of them even more worried. </p><p>And all that was on Charles and Delia’s minds was how silent everyone else was. After dinner was done and everything was cleared away and Lydia had gone upstairs to her bedroom for at least a little while, Charles and Delia stood still just outside the living room, glancing at each other before turning their attention over towards the Maitlands. </p><p>Eventually, both ghosts glanced over in their direction and noted the familiar looks on their faces. Adam chose to speak up, saying exactly what was on both his and Barbara’s minds at that very moment, “Is something the matter, you guys?” </p><p>Again glancing at Delia then returning his attention back over towards the Maitlands, Charles chose to speak up, his voice clear but stern and serious, “we couldn’t help but notice that you guys and Lydia were unusually silent tonight. And we wanted to know if something could have happened or if there’s something on your minds that you don’t want to mention.”</p><p>Barbara glanced at Adam, then both of the ghosts looked back in Charles and Delia’s direction. “Nothing that was too serious and too worrying. Everything went well today.”</p><p>Charles gave Delia a confused look, then they turned back to the Maitlands - both of whom were looking nervously at one another as well as unsure of themselves. The Deetzes raised an eyebrow and that in itself caused the Maitlands to forget all about Lydia asking them not to bring up the fact that she had tried to cut herself earlier. </p><p>And, by accident, they just let it slip. </p><p>Charles’ and Delia’s eyes widened in response to this and they glanced at one another before turning back over towards the Maitlands. </p><p>“Wait... so, Lydia tried to cut herself earlier?” </p><p>The Maitlands nodded, but then realized that they weren’t even supposed to bring it up. Their eyes grew wide as well and they nervously looked at one another before glancing back at Charles and Delia, both of whom were now giving the two of them equally as confusing looks. </p><p>“Adam, Barbara?”</p><p>Thinking of and knowing exactly how Lydia was going to react to the fact that they had accidentally mentioned what happened to her earlier to her dad and Delia when they knew they weren’t supposed to, Adam and Barbara glanced at one another. </p><p>Barbara closed her eyes and relaxed as she apologized to the still confused looking living couple, “sorry about that, Lydia told us not to mention that to you.”  </p><p>“And I get that. But Delia and I need to talk to her about that and let her know that it’s not okay. And you both would be surprised to know that she has tried to do that before.” Charles let out a sad sounding laugh, then became serious again. Before Adam and Barbara could do as much as tell them not to, Charles and Delia were already upstairs and in Lydia’s room. </p><p>Sudden shouting from upstairs started almost immediately and the Maitlands relaxed again, both knowing full well what was about to happen. </p><p>Sure enough, the shouting eventually came to a stop and the two ghosts flinched slightly at Lydia’s ever so loud shout of “ADAM, BARBARA!”as well as the sound of the teenager’s door slamming closed and the sounds of her storming down the stairs and into the living room. </p><p>Adam and Barbara closed their eyes, then opened them again as Lydia demanded, “why would you guys do that?” in an annoyed sounding tone of voice. Adam and Barbara glanced nervously at one another, then their attention refocused back over towards Lydia as she repeated the same question from earlier.  </p><p>For a while, both ghosts struggled to come up with a response to the teenager’s question, then Barbara closed her eyes as she spoke up. “We’re so sorry, Lyds. It completely slipped our minds and we weren’t thinking straight when we brought it up with Charles and Delia. Do you forgive us?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Shadow of a Doubt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With his attention focused on the clear blue day sky above him, Betelgeuse now lay on his back on the roof with his hands resting behind his head. And he was deep in thought at the moment. So the Maitlands and the Deetzes did decide to leave him alone. Ignore him like he thought they would. Then he sat up and turned his head, glancing over towards the window that led into the attic. Of course it was still closed. Why wouldn't it be.</p><p>He turned his attention back towards the sky and was just about to lay back down on the roof and continue to relax for who knew how long when he felt his head turn towards the window as a certain thought popped into his head. Maybe he should go back inside to make sure the Maitland-Deetzes had in fact forgotten about him. Standing up and again looking at the still closed attic window, Betelgeuse closed his eyes and made himself appear invisible - yet he would still be able to be seen by the five Maitland-Deetzes - and wanting to hide within the shadows for now. </p><p>Satisfied, he snapped his fingers and teleported inside and a quick look around the entirety of the attic space let him know that the Maitlands were not there right now.</p><p>'If I had to guess, they would probably be downstairs right about now,' he thought quietly to himself, snapping his fingers once again to teleport himself downstairs. 'Why wouldn't they be downstairs?'</p><p>Once downstairs, Betelgeuse hid over in the corner and looked out into the living room. Lydia and the Maitlands were stood in the center. And there appeared to be shouting going on at the moment. Betelgeuse imagined the current shouting between all three of them as being an argument about him and him alone (even though he knew that it wasn't). </p><p>He saw Lydia storm off in a huff and stomp her way upstairs - the loud sound of her bedroom door slamming closed and locking reverberating around the house - and Delia and Charles comforting the two now sad ghosts and assuring them that the teenager was going to come around, that she didn't mean everything that she said to them - as they floated over towards the couch and slumped down onto it looking absolutely miserable. They turned their attention over towards the same wall where Betelgeuse had been standing by and the next word that came out of their mouths surprised him,</p><p>"Betelgeuse?"</p><p>'Shit!' he thought to himself, making himself visible again and floating over to where all four adults now sat and stood and were staring at him - their eyes following him. </p><p>He sat himself down in between the Maitlands and, without as much thinking, slung his arms around their shoulders much to the surprise of both of the ghosts. As he looked from Adam to Barbara and back again, Betelgeuse took note of the expressions on their faces and the color of his hair almost immediately changed to pink as he removed his arms from around their shoulders - making them both look at one another and then at him with confused looks on their faces.</p><p>"Betelgeuse, are you okay?" </p><p>"Uh... I-," was all he managed to say. </p><p>No matter how much he tried to get his hair color to go right back to being its usual shade of green, it stayed pink. And eventually he just gave up and grabbed at his hair. Barbara looked at Adam as the older Deetzes left the room and headed upstairs for now, before both of the still confused ghosts looked back at Betelgeuse. There was now a hint of green in his hair color but the majority of it was still pink. Not to mention the fact that he was looking away from them in a particular way. Almost as though there was something on his mind that he did not want either ghost to know. </p><p>"Bj?" Barbara repeated not too long afterwards in an attempt to get the demon to look over in her and Adam's direction. But he kept his gaze focused away from them. His hair was once again completely pink and he now appeared to be shaking.</p><p>The moment Barbara rested a hand on Betelgeuse's back, the demon's attention flicked to her before he looked away again. Barbara tilted her head in confusion at that. </p><p>"Betelgeuse, do you-?" Barbara stopped, unsure of what to say next. </p><p>"If you're asking me if I think that you hate me, then the answer is yes." </p><p>Barbara was taken aback as she glanced worriedly over towards Adam, who gave her a matching look. "That's not the question I was meaning to ask you at all." </p><p>"Well, do you?" Betelgeuse continued, ignoring that.</p><p>"I-... well... we-..." Once again, Barbara paused mid-sentence and looked off to the side as she searched for the right words to say. Eventually, she turned back to face Betelgeuse and smiled softly at him as she assured him, "we don't hate you. You know that. We've told you this over a dozen times. Why would you think that? What made you think of that?" </p><p>"I-..." he tried to say before stopping. Barbara urged him to continue. “Well, I was out on the roof earlier and not one of you came out to make sure I was okay. Which I took as a sign that you all were fine without me there.”</p><p>“Oh, no, no...” Barbara said, a look of surprise appearing on her face as her attention flicked to Betelgeuse. “We didn’t mean to make it seem like that. We were going to at first but then Adam and I had a bit of a disagreement with Lydia and... well, her dad and Delia needed to help us out with it.” </p><p>He didn’t seem to hear any or much of that though, his hair turning a shade of light blue as he prepared to teleport himself right back up to the roof and sulk some more. </p><p>Well, he would have done had Barbara not even acted fast enough by calmly resting a hand on his back in order to prevent him from doing so. </p><p>He opened his mouth to speak again then closed it as he, Adam, and Barbara all turned their attention over towards the kitchen at the slightest sound of Lydia’s footsteps sounding down the stairs and into said room. She opened the fridge and reached in to grab herself a little snack. Adam and Barbara stood up at once, and entered the kitchen area as well. And, at that exact same moment, Lydia closed the fridge and turned just as Adam and Barbara came to a stop a few feet away from her. Her gaze focused on the Maitlands and she turned her head as she rolled her eyes. </p><p>“Lydia-...” Barbara tried to say, but the teenager just walked past her and gave her and Adam a side glance as she rounded the corner and slowly made her way back upstairs and to her bedroom. The resulting sound of her bedroom door slamming closed again reverberated around the entire house and worried both ghosts even more than they already were.</p><p>At that, Barbara turned to look at her husband with a worried look on her face. One that was also mirrored on his face. She opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it again when she couldn’t think of anything to say. Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders and held her close to him as he combed a hand through her hair. </p><p>“Let’s just give her a little more time to herself,” Adam spoke softly to and in a calm sounding tone of voice to her, with Barbara nodding sadly in response. “She’ll get over it eventually and forgive the both of us for what happened earlier.... soon... I hope...”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Forgive, But Not Forget</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When neither Lydia or Betelgeuse came down for dinner that same evening, that left all four of the adults equally as worried. So, whilst Delia cleaned and cleared away the dishes, Barbara and Adam made their way up to the attic in hopes that both living teenager and demon were okay. </p><p>Looking over towards one corner of the attic, both of the ghosts found the window that led out to the roof of the house was half-open. Turning to face Barbara, Adam said the one thing he knew was on both his and on her mind. </p><p>“You know, I’m not sure either one of them is okay.”</p><p>Barbara nodded and gave Adam a brief ‘you took the words right out of my mouth’ look. Then they both turned back towards the still half-open window. </p><p>Both ghosts made their way over towards the window, Adam sliding it up further and climbing out onto the roof with Barbara following suit and closing it behind her. Stepping out further onto it, they immediately found Lydia and Betelgeuse sitting on opposite sides of the roof. Both of them had their eyes focused on the ground below, and Lydia appeared to be making a series of sad, but inaudible, sighing noises.</p><p>And a few long minutes passed them by rather slowly before any one of them, particularly Barbara, spoke up. “Lydia, Betelgeuse?”</p><p>Almost immediately afterwards, both of them turned their heads at the sound of Barbara’s voice, then turned away again. The sad sighing that Lydia was doing started up again. Worriedly, Adam and Barbara looked at one another then moved to sit down on the roof on either side of Lydia. Betelgeuse, hair a mix of blue and purple, now had his attention turned over towards Adam, Barbara, and Lydia. </p><p>They looked over towards him, then at each other. After a while, it was Barbara who spoke up, her tone of voice warm but also a bit worried for the demon. “Did you want to come over here and talk?” </p><p>Betelgeuse considered this for a brief second, his hair briefly going back to its normal green before shifting to a light gray.</p><p>At the same time, a nervous look appeared on the demon’s face.</p><p>“Betelgeuse?” This time, it was Adam who spoke. </p><p>Slowly the demon nodded, his hair reverting back to green as he stood up and moved to sit himself down near where Adam, Barbara, and Lydia were sitting. When Barbara motioned for him to move a little closer to the three of them, the demon hesitated - his hair color briefly turning a grayish purple before going back to green. Then he shifted a little closer to where everyone else was sitting. </p><p>“Do you want to talk to us, or should we talk to Lydia first?” Barbara asked, Betelgeuse turning to look over at her. He fell silent after a brief while, thinking quietly to himself before an answer to Barbara’s question popped into his head. </p><p>“I think you guys should talk to Lydia first. I’m not in the mood to talk right now.” Betelgeuse’s hair became a light blue as he looked away from the three of them.</p><p>“Okay then,” Barbara replied in an exuberant tone of voice, her and Adam both now looking over towards Lydia, who was also looking away from them and humming quietly to herself. “Lydia, do you want to tal-...”</p><p>The humming stopped briefly. Lydia looking over towards Adam and Barbara.</p><p>“I’m not in the mood to talk either!” the teenager mumbled in response.</p><p>“Well... we need to talk to both of you,” explained Adam. “And you’re both sitting on the roof and sulking. One of you still hasn’t forgiven us and the other still seems to believe that we want to leave them alone and forget about them.”</p><p>Lydia sighed, keeping her eyes focused on Adam and Barbara. When not one of them spoke a single word for the next few short minutes, it was Barbara who spoke up. “Lydia, we still want to know if you forgive us for what happened earlier. We can’t have you ignoring us for longer than you have been.” </p><p>Lydia said nothing for at least a few more minutes, worrying both Adam and Barbara - who glanced at one another. </p><p>Barbara rested a hand on Lydia’s back, concern in her tone. “Lyd?”</p><p>“I’ll only forgive you and Adam if you guys promise not to mention what you did,” Lydia said after a few more minutes.</p><p>Adam and Barbara once again looked over at one another, considering this. That seemed like a fair thing. Her and Adam turning to face Lydia again, Barbara was the one who replied. “Okay, Lydia. We promise.”</p><p>“And I forgive you,” replied Lydia after a brief while, wrapping her arms around Barbara in a hug then doing the same thing with Adam. </p><p>She pulled apart from Adam and she and both Adam and Barbara turned their attention over towards Betelgeuse, who was still looking away from the three of them with his eyes still focused on the ground three stories below. </p><p>“Betelgeuse?” Barbara spoke up in a tone of concern and worry, turning the demon’s attention away from the edge of the roof and over towards the three of them. </p><p>His hair, which had been a light bluish purple, became its normal green color. </p><p>And, once more, a brief period of silence befell the four of them. </p><p>Betelgeuse spoke up first. “Surprised you guys didn’t go back inside to talk to Lydia. I would have thought you left me alone.” </p><p>“Well, like I said earlier,” Adam spoke up. “We needed to speak to both you and Lydia about two different things. Do you want to go back inside the attic and talk there?” </p><p>“Depends,” Betelgeuse said as he looked from Barbara to Lydia before his attention returned to Adam.</p><p>“I could go back inside and leave you all to talk if it’s okay with you guys,” Lydia spoke up, Adam and Barbara looking at one another as they considered this. </p><p>Eventually, they looked back at Lydia.</p><p>A confused look appeared on Barbara’s face as she cocked her head to the side, Adam doing so not too long after. “Are you sure, Lydia? You don’t have to...”</p><p>She nodded a few times in response, the Maitlands agreeing shortly afterwards. </p><p>And, as Lydia headed back inside and closed the window behind her, the Maitlands both turned their attention over towards Betelgeuse, with Barbara being the one to speak up. </p><p>“Okay, Betelgeuse. Want to discuss you still believing we don’t actually care about you?”</p><p>No answer.</p><p>“Betelgeuse?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter and the summary change were not an April Fool’s Day joke, just to let you know.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Color Me (Almost) Happy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The aforementioned demon's hair, once again previously a shade of blue, went back to its usual green as he returned his attention over towards the Maitlands - both of whom were looking at him and awaiting an answer. Shit, he thought. How long had he not been paying attention? He'd assumed not that long. But with the looks that both of the ghosts were now giving him, he had a feeling that it was longer than he thought it would be.</p><p>And the first thing that popped into the demon's mind was, "what?"</p><p>"We literally just asked you if you still wanted to discuss your still believing that we don't care about you. About you wanting to be alone all of a sudden. Are you doing okay?" Barbara had to ask, sharing a look with Adam before she turned and focused her attention over towards the demon again.</p><p>"I'm fine," the demon mumbled out, his head turned and his eyes focused away from both ghosts. Though the Maitlands could easily tell that he was in fact lying when his hair color became a shade of light lilac purple. </p><p>"You are not fine." Barbara took the demon's hand in hers and the latter's hair color turned a full on shade of blush pink. </p><p>He shook it off, trying to revert his hair color to green. But his hair was adamant on staying pink and not wanting to be green. He pulled at it, but then relaxed slightly when Adam and Barbara each rested a hand on his back with worried looks on both of their faces. </p><p>"Way to make that obvious, B-Town," Betelgeuse mumbled out, looking off to the side. </p><p>For a while, both ghosts could've sworn that they briefly saw Betelgeuse's hair color become green before going back to pink and eventually settling on a purplish blue. </p><p>"Do you want to go inside? Talk to Delia about this?" Barbara inquired, Betelgeuse's hair color briefly going back to green before shifting to a light blue in shade as he turned his attention over towards her with a quizzical look on his face - him cocking his head to the side. </p><p>"No... not really. Not right now," he finally mumbled out after a while.</p><p>Barbara looked to Adam, the two ghosts nodding in agreement as they turned their attention back over towards Betelgeuse. "Well then, you're welcome to come back inside with us. If you want to at least. You really don't need to spend a lot of time out here on the roof not doing anything but sulking. Where's the Betelgeuse that we know and love? The one that immediately kissed us when we first met him?" </p><p>"He's not here right now," Betelgeuse replied solemnly. But that didn't stop his hair color from becoming a mixed shade of pink and green. Though the pink in his hair was more prominent than the green was. He didn't seem to notice. But the Maitlands on the other hand? Oh, they definitely seemed to notice. </p><p>Adam turned to Barbara, mouthing out, "we really do need to talk to Delia about this. This is getting more serious as time goes on. And I don't think that I can handle Betelgeuse being anymore sad than he has been lately. Like you said, I too am slowly starting to miss the version of Betelgeuse that made out with us upon our first meeting. This lonely, depressed version of Betelgeuse is starting to worry me."</p><p>Barbara nodded, mouthing back, "you said it." </p><p>Before Betelgeuse had any time to react, Adam and Barbara each grabbed a hold of one of his hands and hauled him up on his feet - leading him back inside and Barbara closing the window behind her. </p><p>Like Adam, Barbara had the thought that 'this would be the last time Betelgeuse would go out to the roof and sulk' in her mind. Both ghosts led Betelgeuse through the attic, Adam closing the attic door behind him. They got down the stairs that led up to the attic, eventually getting to the second floor. A quick look through every room told them that Delia wasn't on the second floor at the moment. And when they asked Lydia, all she said was that her dad and Delia had gone out for a bit and wouldn't be back until later before pausing and telling them that she'd let Delia know that they needed to talk to her once she got back. </p><p>Back upstairs, in the attic, Adam and Barbara had their attention focused on Betelgeuse as he sat and looked through the Handbook absentmindedly. His hair color now a shade of light blue, there was still a depressed look plastered on Betelgeuse's face. Adam and Barbara looked at one another, figuring out what to do. Then something came to them. They moved to sit down on either side of Betelgeuse, causing the demon to look up and from Adam to Barbara before his attention returned to the Handbook and he turned the page.</p><p>"Betelgeuse?" </p><p>He stopped reading again, the Handbook now in his lap as he turned his attention back over towards Barbara, who had her head turned and her eyes focused on him - a quizzical, but curious at the same time, look on her face. Before Betelgeuse could look away and continue on with reading, Barbara rested a hand on top of his without even thinking. Adam did the same not too long afterwards. </p><p>And that seemed to make Betelgeuse's hair color turn pink before going back to its previous shade of blue. His attention was halfway turned back to the page he currently was on in the Handbook when Barbara spoke up again. </p><p>"Beej?"</p><p>By now, Betelgeuse had closed the Handbook for the Recently Deceased, setting it off to the side, and focused his attention solely onto Barbara. </p><p>“Mmm...."</p><p>“You’ve been at that for the past two hours. What on earth were you even looking for in the Handbook?” Barbara asked out of confusion, a confused look appearing on Adam’s face at the exact same time. </p><p>“Dunno...” Betelgeuse replied nonchalantly, reaching out a hand to pick up the Handbook again before being stopped by Barbara. </p><p>When the female ghost couldn’t think of how to respond to that, she took a quick glance over towards the window that led out onto the roof and noted that it was about nighttime. She was about to wonder how it came to be nighttime all of a sudden but then she remembered how time worked for the dead. Turning her head and looking back over towards her husband and Betelgeuse, Barbara noted that the former was already sleeping and that the latter was still awake and looking at her like he had something on his mind.</p><p>Betelgeuse looked from Barbara to Adam then looked away, his hair turning pink before reverting back to green. Not to mention that he seemed to be less depressed than he previously was. Though Barbara had to guess that that had to do with the fact that they had talked with him about something other than why he often spent time to himself and why he thought they didn’t want him around.</p><p>‘I hope that he’s back to being the regular old Betelgeuse come morning,’ Barbara thought quietly to herself as she too, despite her, Adam, and Betelgeuse not needing any sleep, felt herself slowly start to drift off as well. </p><p>The next morning, however, Betelgeuse didn’t seem to come downstairs at all. Which, once again, served to worry the Maitlands. They’d excused themselves from the table at breakfast to head upstairs to the attic and make sure Betelgeuse was doing okay. They stopped just outside the only room in the house that was technically still theirs, listening to the sound of sniffing coming from behind the closed attic door. </p><p>Adam turned to look at Barbara, a worried look on his face which was soon mirrored on Barbara’s. “Do you think he’s okay in there?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I thought last night that he wasn’t going to go back to being depressed come now. But we need to check up on him just to make sure of that. Since he’s been nothing but depressed and worried we’re going to ignore him since he was accidentally summoned back here, I’m kinda sorta worried he’s going to stay that way.”</p><p>Adam nodded, pushing open the door to the attic and entering the room with Barbara not too far behind him as she gently closed the attic door. </p><p>“Betelgeuse?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Back to Normal, Lifting Spirits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Betelgeuse was sat with his back facing them, darkness all around the attic and not a single source of light. Though Betelgeuse's hair was now glowing, so they both could at least see exactly where in the attic he was. That got them both thinking in unison, for every single attempt that they tried to convince the demon that what he thought was true wasn't actually true - they were starting to worry if there was nothing else they could do. There had to be something else </p><p>Wait. </p><p>Mid-thought, Adam and Barbara stopped to stare directly over towards Betelgeuse's glowing hair for a few moments, confused looks appearing on both of their faces. Since when could Betelgeuse's hair glow? </p><p>Shaking their heads and thinking right back to the current matter at hand, Adam and Barbara both made mental notes to ask Betelgeuse about that later once they were sure that he was feeling like he wasn't alone and knew that they all cared about him instead of the other way around. </p><p>Adam and Barbara glanced at one another, then turned back towards Betelgeuse as they opted to sit down on either side of the depressed demon. But he didn't seem to harbor much of a reaction to that, only making a few quiet and inaudible sad noises. </p><p>"Betelgeuse?" Barbara found herself repeating. Still no response from him. </p><p>"Hey, bud, we just want to talk," Adam tried, hoping that would elicit a response from him.</p><p>"There's nothing to talk about," Betelgeuse grunted, not doing as much as looking at either ghost. </p><p>Barbara, becoming even more worried for Betelgeuse than she previously was, turned her head to look over towards the demon and reached out a hand, resting it flat out against his back. "Betelgeuse, please just talk to us."</p><p>"Go away," Betelgeuse said. </p><p>"We're not leaving until we help you learn that we didn't mean to leave you alone and that we care about you."</p><p>"No you don't."</p><p>He tried to use his powers to teleport the Maitlands out of the attic and back downstairs, but both ghosts seemed intent on just staying there and trying to talk to him about all of this. </p><p>The longer Betelgeuse stayed like this, the more the Maitlands were starting to worry that he was going to be that way forever - lest they both do something about that as soon as they possibly could. No! They needed to do something. And fast. Looking at one another, Adam and Barbara quickly came up with a plan and nodded in unison - both determined that this could work. </p><p>They hoped it would work. It had to work.</p><p>Barbara refocused her attention towards Betelgeuse, her and Adam's plan to help him fresh in her mind. "Beej, do you want to go downstairs for now? Spend some time with us and with the Deetzes? I'm sure that you'll know we care about you and don't want you to feel left out and alone if you give that a chan-..."</p><p>"No..." </p><p>Barbara and Adam exchanged worried glances with one another, then turned their attention back over towards Betelgeuse. They each took one of his hands in their own, immediately making his hair briefly flash blush pink before going back to its previous purplish-blue.</p><p>"Betelgeuse, c'mon. Please?" Barbara urged, her and Adam moving to stand up and helping Betelgeuse up as well. </p><p>They started towards the attic door, or at least tried to if it wasn't for Betelgeuse refusing to move. They let go of the demon's hands, turning to face him with the exact same worried looks from earlier appearing on their faces again. Their eyes found each other and Adam bit his lip as he and Barbara figured out how to go from there. Then they got something, smiling and nodding towards each other.</p><p>If Betelgeuse wasn't going to head downstairs with them, then why don't they teleport him downstairs with them. Betelgeuse briefly glanced up at them as they teleported over to where he was standing, then looked back down again. Not even taking much notice of the Maitlands teleporting themselves and him downstairs. </p><p>When he looked up again, he was surprised to find himself in the middle of the living room instead of the attic. Looking over towards one corner, he saw the Maitland-Deetzes sat on the couch together and looking over towards him with matching worried, but soft looks on each of their faces. He backed away, preparing to snap his fingers and teleport back up to the attic if given the chance, only to stop and turn his attention back over towards the other five occupants of the room when he heard Barbara shout out to him.</p><p>"Wait!" </p><p>He teleported over to the couch this time, opting to sit himself on the floor but still away from the Maitlands and the Deetzes. Now a brighter shade of blue, Betelgeuse's hair remained that way. Not to mention that he was still nervous, like a recently adopted puppy that was only just starting to get used to its new home. At least, that was how the other five could tell the demon felt. And they needed to do something about that fast. </p><p>Betelgeuse looked from one member of the family to the next as the five of them began to discuss something the demon couldn't make out. He stood up, having it clear in his mind to just go and leave them to it - thinking that whatever it was that they were talking about had nothing to do with him. </p><p>"And where do you think you're going?" Barbara asked, a hint of amusement in her voice if evidenced by the small smirk plastered on her face. </p><p>"Uh... back upstairs. It's clear you guys are talking about something other than me." </p><p>Before Betelgeuse could teleport himself back up to the attic or to the roof, he spun around again when Barbara spoke up again. "No, we were definitely talking about you silly. Let's not go upstairs to the attic right now. Or to the roof. Please.... just spend some time with us to feel less alone."</p><p>That did it. Betelgeuse's hair went back to its usual shade of green as he sat himself back down on the floor in front of the rest of the family. When they saw the slightest of a sly smirk cross the demon's face, that brought a sense of relief to the rest of the family. Hopefully, for now and for good, he was going to stay that way and not go right back to being depressed like he had been. </p><p>A clear plan of chaos in mind, Betelgeuse snapped his fingers with a chuckle and made the rest of the family surprised when they were levitated into the air by him before they looked down at him with amused smiles on each of their faces. Boy were they glad he was back to normal. </p><p>"Now that's a way to lift some spirits - whether they're dead or alive," Betelgeuse said to no one in particular with a slight laugh, now confusing the rest of rest of the family greatly before they started laughing as well.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. How to Calm a Demon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Maitlands often liked to go up to the roof after the Deetzes had turned in for the night and gone to bed. Sometimes, they allowed Lydia to sit with them and stargaze when the teen either had a bad dream and wanted to talk to or spend time with them or if she couldn't sleep and came out to the roof to think. Often times, Lydia fell asleep on the roof of the house and the Maitlands couldn't bring themselves to get her back inside and help her back down to her room and get her back into her bed - staying with her until she woke up again a few hours or so later. </p><p>So it came as a surprise to them when Betelgeuse was the one who came out onto, or rather teleported onto the roof when they were mid-conversation. </p><p>They stopped talking and turned towards him, noting that his hair was purple - unlike how it had gone back to its usual shade of green earlier when he was happier, using his powers to make the rest of the Maitland-Deetz family float around in midair much to everyone else's enjoyment. </p><p>Barbara motioned for Betelgeuse to come and sit by them, a warm and soft smile flashing across her face. "Did you want to join us?" </p><p>When Betelgeuse didn't say anything as a response to the female ghost's question, Adam and Barbara looked worriedly at one another before turning their attention back towards Betelgeuse. A sliver of blue sifted through his hair before expanding and fully covering the entirety of it. </p><p>"Beej?" Barbara cocked her head to the side, looking confusedly at the demon. "You okay?"</p><p>Once again, he didn't seem to say anything in response, but Adam and Barbara eventually watched him nodding. Flashes of green and pink shot up through his hair - but the blue didn't go away, instead remaining. Not to mention that he still seemed down. A major change from earlier that day. </p><p>Did the Maitlands need to repeat what they and the Deetzes had told Betelgeuse that late afternoon? God, they sure hoped they didn't. </p><p>When he stayed where he had been for a while longer - not doing as much as going to sit over by the Maitlands, Barbara kept her attention focused on him, tapping an empty spot on the roof next to her. He sighed, his hair becoming fully green as he started slowly moving towards where both ghosts were sat and sat himself down next to Barbara.</p><p>Things went silent, although briefly, then Barbara spoke up in concern. "You okay? Do you not want to talk? </p><p>"Fine." Betelgeuse, whose attention was focused over towards the edge of the roof, looked from Adam to Barbara and back to Adam again - clear confusion washing over him. "What're you two up to?"</p><p>"Stargazing. Did you want to do it with us?" asked Barbara, turning her attention away from the night sky and towards Betelgeuse - same as Adam. "We don't mind the company." </p><p>Betelgeuse's hair briefly became blush pink before going back to green with a little hint of yellow in it. He couldn't find the right words to say for a while, then he looked from Adam to Barbara before looking up at the sky and the stars. "No. Tis fine. You guys can stay out here and stargaze. I can-..." </p><p>As Betelgeuse stood up to head back inside to the attic, Barbara turned her attention over towards him, fake sarcasm in her tone. "You better not still be depressed and thinking you're alone and that we don't care about you, mister. Because we do care about you. There is no reason for you to still think that. Remember earlier, when you used your powers to make us and the Deetzes float in midair? That was after we told you that we cared about you."</p><p>Betelgeuse sat back down where he was previously, and refocused his attention up towards the night sky. Memories of what Barbara had just mentioned filtered throughout Betelgeuse's mind as he relaxed just a little. "...yeah."</p><p>Things went silent rather quickly, Betelgeuse laying down on the roof and resting his hands behind his head and glancing up at the stars. Looking down, Adam and Barbara noticed that he had his attention focused on one particular area of the sky. They lay themselves down on the roof as well, also resting their hands behind their heads as their gazes flicked up towards the exact same area of the sky Betelgeuse was looking at.</p><p>"What're you looking at, bud?" Adam asked, turned and looking over at Betelgeuse. </p><p>"The star that is my namesake. I spent night after lonely night looking at and/or for it in the centuries of which I was here in this world. I'm used to that, so it's a bit weird looking up at it with you guys." </p><p>"Well, Adam and I can go back inside and spend the remaining hours of the night inside the attic. Leave you be to do your stargazing. If you want us to, that is." Barbara, followed closely behind by Adam, stood up to head back inside. </p><p>"NO!!!" </p><p>Adam and Barbara, halfway to the window to the attic, spun on their heels to face him - the both of them looking at him with confused, but soft looks on their faces that transitioned to looks of worry when they took notice of the state he was currently in. His hair was now a darkened blood red shade, his eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes were narrowed, his hands were clenched into fists, and he looked like he was about to catch on fire. </p><p>Barbara and Adam immediately rushed over to calm the maddened demon down, Barbara sitting him down on the roof and kneeling down next to him. Adam, hand now resting on the demon's back, started rubbing comforting circles into his back. But that was doing nothing to calm the demon down. In fact, he was on the verge of having a panic attack if evidenced by the color of his hair lightening from the darkened blood red that it had had been to a lighter orangish red. </p><p>Barbara placed a hand on Betelgeuse's shoulder in an attempt to calm him down. But she was having no luck. "Betelgeuse, you-" </p><p>"No! No! No! No! No! You are not going back inside and leaving me out here all on my own again!" he was now grabbing at his hair, his eyes squeezed shut as he kicked and squirmed in the Maitlands hold.</p><p>This was more of a tantrum than it was a panic attack.</p><p>Turning and looking over towards one another, Adam and Barbara nodded as they thought up what to do about all of this. They stayed that way for at least a little while longer. Then something came to the two of them. The only way they could calm the demon down and prevent something from happening to the house (the last thing they knew they wanted was for Charles and Delia to blame them if the house burned down. They wouldn’t hear the end of it for weeks in the Netherworld) was to assure Betelgeuse that they would stay outside on the roof with him. </p><p>Barbara, a soft and warm smile appearing on her face, rested a hand under Betelgeuse’s chin and turned his head so that his eyes were focused solely on her. “Betelgeuse, calm down, please. We’ll stay out here on the roof with you for a little while longer, then the three of us can go back inside since it’s nearing morning and the sun’s just about to rise. Does that sound okay?”</p><p>He calmed down immediately, the orangish red color of his hair quickly being replaced by its usual shade of green. His expression softened immediately and he slowly shook his head from side to side a few times before focusing on Barbara then looking at Adam. His attention flicked back up towards the dawn sky - its orange and yellow colors slowly transitioning to  the regular blue that indicated a warm and sunny day. </p><p>“It’s fine... I don’t mind staying out here a little while longer...” </p><p>Stripes of yellow and pink appeared next to one another in Betelgeuse’s hair as he looked over towards and teasingly winked at the Maitlands - both of whom were now laying on their backs on the roof and watching the sunrise. </p><p>“... but only if you promise me that you two and I have a make out session together later on in the day, okay? Babs, Sexy?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Maybe We Should Start Small?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Tw for some smut. Read at your own risk.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At first, Adam and Barbara thought Betelgeuse was just messing with them when he said he wanted to make out with them. They didn't think he was being serious. After waving off the Deetzes - who were going to be out until at least that night - the Maitlands quietly made their way back up to the attic, Adam phasing through the attic door followed closely behind by Barbara. </p><p>The first thing that they both saw, upon entering the attic and looking around it in equal looks of confusion, was a bed they were sure wasn't there. Betelgeuse was laying on his back on top of it, grinning cheekily at the Maitlands. His hair color was a mixed shade of light pink and sunny yellow. </p><p>The Maitlands, both equally unsure and uncertain, made their way over towards the bed and Betelgeuse, standing on either side of the bed and looking at Betelgeuse. </p><p>Barbara, tilting her head to the side in pure confusion, was the first of the two ghosts who spoke up. "Uh... Betelgeuse, are you sure about that? I thought you were kidding when you said you wanted to make out with us..."</p><p>"Hah! Me, kidding? Who am I if I don't get dirty with my favorite deceased peeps in the living world?"</p><p>"Well... I... what do you think, Adam?" Barbara looked over the bed and towards Adam, both of the ghosts giving each other confused and uncertain, uncomfortable looks.</p><p>"I... well, I guess we could give it try? It still seems to be a little bit underwhelming if you think about it... but..." Adam trailed off before he could say anything else, not a single thing coming to his mind. </p><p>They weren't entirely sure what to think about all of this at first. But the longer they just stood there considering things, the more they were starting to think this was something that might help. It had somewhat slipped their mind. They weren't sure if ghosts could still be intimate with one another - despite not being able to coproduce any more. Especially the two of them with a demon that they knew was horny since the day they first met him. </p><p>From the first time that Betelgeuse had bid them farewell to now, Adam and Barbara both could have never known that they would be willing enough to try something like this with Betelgeuse. But they had a feeling more of this was going to happen in the near future if this happened to go the way they hoped. </p><p>"So?" Betelgeuse spoke up, directing the attention of both ghosts away from one another and towards him. "What do you guys think?" </p><p>The Maitlands, neither one of them saying as much of anything as a response to that, both immediately found themselves calming down quickly and slowly whilst also relaxing slightly, the uncertainty that they were both experiencing at first fading away completely like it was nothing and never there to begin with. Feelings of curiosity and wonder replaced those particular feelings and Barbara soon found herself getting up onto the bed and moving closer towards where Betelgeuse was. </p><p>Adam followed suit, maneuvering himself so that he was laying on his side right beside where Betelgeuse was. He placed his free hand palm down and flat out on top of where Betelgeuse's stomach would have been had he been alive, the demon's hair color almost immediately flushing a blush pink at the touch. Betelgeuse visibly relaxed at that, resting one of his hands on top of Adam's. </p><p>Barbara found her hand moving and combing through Betelgeuse's hair before she moved it again and stroked it down one side of the demon's face. At the slightest of a purring noise coming from the demon, Barbara found herself stopping and retracting her hand. In turn, that made Betelgeuse stop purring and focus his attention towards her. </p><p>"Why'd you stop, Babs? I was enjoying that..." </p><p>"Oh... did you want me to continue???" she practically purred as she moved a little closer to him and cupped his cheek in her hand, stroking it with a finger. At that, Betelgeuse started purring again, closing his eyes. </p><p>"Yes please..." he drawled out, drool starting to form from his mouth. </p><p>She turned so that she was now on her side, her hand now moving from Betelgeuse's cheek and down the demon's neck. Betelgeuse rested his hand on top of hers, gripping it tightly but gently and moving it up to his face again. Barbara cupped Betelgeuse's other cheek in her hand, turning him so that he was facing her. </p><p>But then she hesitated, unsure if she should continue.</p><p>"Betelgeuse, I- what if-"</p><p>Betelgeuse sensed the female ghost's discomfort, his hand resting on her shoulder. Adam had his hand draped over Betelgeuse's shoulder, gently stroking it across it.</p><p>"Do you not want to do this? The three of us could do it another ti-"</p><p>"No. It's just- I'm not sure if it's right for us to do this. To try our hand at a relationship with you," Barbara continued, her hand retracting. She had a certain look in her eyes that was uncertain but wary, one that Betelgeuse and Adam, who had since removed his hand from Betelgeuse's shoulder and sat upright, also looking at Barbara, had both taken immediate notice of.</p><p>"Whatcha mean?" Betelgeuse questioned, also sitting up and glancing at Barbara. Adam had moved to sit beside Betelgeuse, tilting his head to the side before nodding. "Was all of that too much?"</p><p>"No. I think Adam and I need time to talk it over with each other and with you before we go through with this." </p><p>"Why talk about it when we can just go in for it?" Betelgeuse purred out softly, once more laying on his side on the bed and facing Barbara. </p><p>Before the female ghost could do as much as react, Betelgeuse's arms laced around her waist. She was taken aback, but only for a brief moment, then she relaxed slowly and slightly at the demon's touch, affectionately placing her arms around Betelgeuse's neck and shifting a little closer against his body. Adam found his hand tracing down Betelgeuse's back. Then he stopped, peering over Betelgeuse's body at Barbara. </p><p>She looked up towards him, taking note of a look of uncertainty in his eyes, a certain look that indicated to her that maybe they should start small; that maybe they should wait a little while longer before they got more into stuff like this. A matching, mirrored look of uncertainty appeared on her face. Her removing her arms from around Betelgeuse's neck and shifting away from the demon, sitting up, made the demon moan and grumble softly and sound like he himself wanted to get more into it. </p><p>But neither ghost wanted him to know that they weren't in fact ready. So they just decided to remain quiet - at least for a while, that was. And they both had hope that Betelgeuse himself wouldn't catch on. As far as they were aware, Betelgeuse was still hopeful that they would be intimate towards each other - the three of them. </p><p>But that didn't seem to last for long. </p><p>When he didn't feel Adam or Barbara touch or feel him for longer than a while, Betelgeuse sat himself upright on the bed - looking between both ghosts and noticing the familiar looks of uncertainty and uncomfortableness on both ghosts' faces. </p><p>"Babs, Sexy?" he questioned quietly and softly, the slightest hint of confusion apparent in his voice. "Something bothering you guys?" </p><p>"Yes and no." Barbara was the first of the two ghosts to speak up after a while, trying to hide not only the slight uncertainty in her tone of voice, but also the fact that she was shaking her head slowly. She paused, trying to find the right words to say. But when nothing seemed to come to her, she fell silent and looked to Adam for assistance. </p><p>The male ghost, who had his attention turned to her, although it was only brief, nodded and looked over towards Betelgeuse. "Betelgeuse, can we talk?" </p><p>"Of course you can talk," Betelgeuse responded, not catching on to the fact that Adam wasn't actually joking and instead being serious. "There's no need to ask."</p><p>Adam groaned, raising an eyebrow at that. But deep down inside of him, he was amused at the joke and he knew that he couldn't keep himself from laughing at just that. Betelgeuse beware, the jokes that he made and would make were not nearly going to be as good as Adam's were. But in all seriousness, now was not the time to be making jokes. Especially ones about whether or not they could talk.</p><p>"That's not what I meant and you know it!"</p><p>"Then what did you mean, Sexy? When you asked me that?" Betelgeuse asked the other male in the room confusedly, though still sounding a little bit amused by his own joke, moving and sitting on the edge of the bed, his attention focused now on Adam. </p><p>“What I meant to say was.... can we talk about all of this relationship and making out stuff first? Before we get further into it? Because I do not want to keep this up unless we know that we’re all okay with it,” Adam finally said after a brief moment of silence, sounding a little bit nervous. </p><p>Barbara nodded along, already agreeing with him. </p><p>Betelgeuse however, was conflicted and therefore still considering it. But, after a few brief and short minutes of thinking quietly to himself, Betelgeuse knew that he himself despite being someone who would delve into a relationship before discussing it with his possible and potential future partners - despite said partners already being married to each other - knew that discussing it first was the right thing to do.</p>
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<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Afternoon Delight</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Something in Betelgeuse's mind was telling him to rather delve into a relationship with the Maitlands first and see how it would go from there. And it had been bugging him for quite a while. The Maitlands had since gone back out onto the roof, hoping to watch that day's sunset. And Betelgeuse was free to come out and join them if he wanted to or if something was bothering him. Although he told them that he was fine, he knew then to go out to the roof and talk to both of the ghosts. After all, they did say that it would be easier for them to talk the possibility of a relationship over first. </p><p>And so he did.</p><p>He slid open the window that led out to the roof and stepped out onto it, almost immediately spotting the Maitlands standing together over by the edge of the roof and leaning over it as they marveled over The suddenness of Betelgeuse teleporting over and joining them took the Maitlands both by surprise at first. Then they relaxed, closing their eyes, and calmed themselves down. </p><p>Barbara smiled and reached over, placing a hand on top of one of Betelgeuse's, followed closely by Adam. Betelgeuse immediately grew surprised, but stunned and embarrassed at the same exact time, his hair turning blush pink. He didn't know what to think. But were the Maitlands seemingly but silently agreeing with him that they should delve into an attempt at a three-way relationship head on. For a while, none of them said much of anything - the three of them looking up at the sky as day turned to evening. Then immediately to nighttime. </p><p>They heard the sound of the Deetz' car pulling up into the driveway and stopping. Delia and Lydia got out - Lydia shouting good night up to the Maitlands and Betelgeuse as they entered the house. Charles pulled the car into the garage and entered the house as well. And soon, it was morning. The Maitlands and Betelgeuse lay on their backs on the roof as they watched the sunrise. Adam and Barbara had since headed back inside, with Betelgeuse following suit not too long afterwards. </p><p>The Deetzes were already downstairs when the Maitlands and Betelgeuse teleported into the kitchen. Barbara started on breakfast for Lydia, whilst Adam summoned two cups of coffee - one for Charles and one for Delia. The older Deetzes bid the rest of the family farewell as they headed off to work for the day. And the Maitlands saw Lydia off to school immediately afterwards. </p><p>That at least gave the three of them some time to themselves. But they knew that Lydia would be home from school sooner rather than later. Then Charles and Delia would be home from work. But they didn't mind their deceased housemates spending quite some time alone and together, did they?</p><p>They teleported up to the attic, the same bed from the previous day reappearing where it had been previously. Betelgeuse immediately got up onto it, and waited for the Maitlands to join him. But after a few minutes, he sat himself upright - looking over towards the Maitlands and Immediately taking notice of the nervous and unsure looks on both their faces. </p><p>"What are you guys waiting for?" Betelgeuse asked as his hair became a mix between blue and purple, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "Don't you want to take another chance at a relationship?" </p><p>Barbara shifted, but remained standing in the same spot. "Betelgeuse, are you sure that we should just get right into the relationship? I thought we were going to talk it over first?" </p><p>"I'm sure that you and Adam didn't have to talk about a relationship before you two got married, did you?" </p><p>"W-well... no, we didn't. But this is different. We need to talk it over before we do anything else," Barbara said, closing her eyes and letting out a sigh. Hopefully Betelgeuse would be more for talking about it first. </p><p>Betelgeuse said nothing, which Adam and Barbara took as a sign that the demon didn't seem to be listening. He'd lay himself down on the bed once again, waiting for the Maitlands to join him. They just stood there for a while, considering things. As Lydia shouted up to them that she was home from school, the Maitlands briefly shouted back down to her. Luckily the teenager didn't have homework that day, which meant that she could go out and take a few photographs if she wanted. </p><p>She called up to the Maitlands that she was going to be out for a while and that she would be back just before dinner that night. Adam and Barbara quickly shouted back an "OKAY!" to the teenager, then the two of them turned their attention back towards Betelgeuse. The demon had his suit jacket undone - but not completely. </p><p>Adam sighed, and Barbara slowly rested a hand against her forehead. "I don't think we're quite ready for that, Betelgeuse. Let's just take things rather slow at first and see how things go from there, okay?" </p><p>"Aw..." Betelgeuse pouted, giving the Maitlands puppy dog eyes. "I'm up for some cuddling. If you two are willing enough to do that???"</p><p>"Betel-," Barbara began, only stopping and trailing off when her husband rested a hand on her shoulder. "Adam?" </p><p>"Come on. Let's just give it a chance, Barbara. If it's too uncomfortable for you, then we can go right back to talking it over first. Does that sound okay?" Adam began to lead his wife over towards the bed and stopped only when she stiffened and didn't move further. </p><p>"I..." She bit at her lip, unsure if she should continue. But she finally, after a bit of thought to herself, said, "I... guess..."</p><p>Adam nodded, pulling Barbara towards the bed and the two of them got up onto it. Adam cuddled up against Betelgeuse's right side and Barbara against the demon's left. Barbara found her hand resting over where Betelgeuse's heart would be as she closed her eyes and shifted a little closer to the demon. Adam did the same not too long afterwards.</p><p>The only thing running through Barbara's mind at the moment was just how soft the demon actually was. A softness she didn't expect of the demon. And a quick glance at Adam let her know that the exact same thing was running through his mind. Adam had his eyes closed and he was now laying on his back with his hand - palm facing up - rested flat out on what would be the demon's stomach. Barbara shifted and removed her hand, sitting upright and peering over Betelgeuse at her husband.</p><p>He sensed it, opening one eye and smiling softly up at her. Barbara smiled back over at her husband, then lay back down on her side next to Betelgeuse. The demon’s hair was now a mix between light blush pink and a brighter pink, though there was the slightest hint of the demon’s usual green peering through. And he seemed to be smiling, calm and comfortable with all of this.</p><p>Sooner rather than later, Adam and Barbara both felt equally as comfortable as their future demon partner was and they closed their eyes again as they shifted and relaxed a little more against the demon.</p><p>Maybe it was easier for them to delve right into the relationship, rather than talk it over first.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. First Things First</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Deetzes couldn't have picked a better time to go on vacation. And they wouldn't be back until the middle of the following week, giving Adam, Barbara, and Betelgeuse some time to themselves so that the Maitlands could get to know Betelgeuse a little more. Lydia, her dad, and her stepmother stood over by the front door, suitcases in hand - waving goodbye to the Maitlands and Betelgeuse. Before turning and following her dad and Delia out the front door and to her dad's car, she walked over and gave the Maitlands a hug each. </p><p>"Are you still going to bring us back something each?" Adam asked, Lydia looking away for a split second then turning her attention back towards both ghosts. </p><p>She nodded, giving the Maitlands one more hug each before turning on her heel and leaving the house, closing the door behind her. The Maitlands, although knowing the next week and a half would fly by fast for them, began to ascend up the stairs - joining Betelgeuse on the second floor landing. Both of the ghosts and their demon friend made their way down the hallway and up the stairs to the attic. </p><p>Behind them, outside, morning turned to afternoon. </p><p>The Maitlands plopped down together on the couch, Barbara closing her eyes as she curled up against Adam and the latter combing his fingers through his wife's hair. The moment they felt Betelgeuse sit down on the couch beside them - snapping his fingers and turning it into a different bed from last time, the Maitlands were taken by surprise. </p><p>Barbara opened her eyes, sitting up and looking over towards Betelgeuse. She opened her mouth to say something, but, when words failed her, she closed it.</p><p>Betelgeuse tilted his head. "Do you not want to do this right now?" </p><p>"We do. But I figured that Adam and I would use the time we have to get to know you a little better. Okay?" </p><p>Betelgeuse's hair turned blue as he looked down, then went back to green with a little yellow mixed within it. He lay down on his side on the bed, facing the Maitlands. Adam and Barbara shared a brief glance, then Barbara lay on her side and faced Betelgeuse. Adam teleported from next to Barbara to behind Betelgeuse - facing the demon's back. </p><p>Barbara found her hand moving up and cupping Betelgeuse's cheek, her moving a little closer to Betelgeuse and curling up against him. She gently and carefully laced her other arm around Betelgeuse's neck. And soon, the hand that she was cupping Betelgeuse's cheek with also laced around the demon's neck. Betelgeuse closed his eyes and relaxed as his hair became a mix between blush pink and sunny yellow.</p><p>Adam curled up closer to Betelgeuse's back, arms moving around the demon's waist. He seemed calm for a while, then stopped - sitting upright and glancing over at his wife and at Betelgeuse. </p><p>Barbara removed her arms from around Betelgeuse's neck, sensing Adam's nervousness and uncertainty. A matching expression appeared on her face as she too sat upright and cocked her head to the side. "Ad, is everything okay?"</p><p>"Yeah. Everything's fine, Barbara. I just wanted to have some little time to talk with you and Betelgeuse. That's all." Adam glanced from Barbara to Betelgeuse before looking back at Barbara, who seemed to be nodding in response. Betelgeuse shifted, his hair turning purple as he sat up as well.</p><p>"Why'd you guys stop when it just got started?" Betelgeuse whined, pouting, looking from Adam to Barbara. "I'm willing to continue if you guys are." </p><p>"Why don't the three of us just talk for a bit? And then we can continue with this," Barbara propounded, Betelgeuse looking off to the side then looking back at Barbara and nodding in response, seeming to be completely fine with the idea.</p><p>Adam and Barbara stood up, Betelgeuse, still sat in the middle of the bed, snapping his fingers and turning the bed back into the couch it previously was. He was now sat in the middle of the couch, Adam and Barbara looking at one another for a brief few moments then they sat down on the couch and either side of the demon. Barbara off to his left and Adam off to his right. </p><p>For a while none of them knew exactly what to say, the three of them just sitting there in silence. </p><p>Outside, evening turned to night.</p><p>Barbara looked up, thinking quietly to herself. Then she turned to Betelgeuse. "Do you want to tell us more about the Netherworld or-?" </p><p>"I can. But I'd rather go back to all the smut in this story." Betelgeuse leaned backwards and rested his hands behind his head. Barbara, confused as heck, turned her head and glanced from Betelgeuse to Adam.</p><p>"What's he talking about? What story?" </p><p>"Let's not question it, Barb," Adam said patiently, trying and failing to hide an amused eye roll. </p><p>Barbara nodded silently, looking straight ahead now. But she still couldn't exactly get the topic of the Netherworld out of her head. No matter how much she tried. After a while, she turned her head and looked over at Betelgeuse.</p><p>"How does the Netherworld work, exactly?" </p><p>Betelgeuse sat up straight, looking over towards Barbara. He didn't say anything, instead summoning the Handbook and opening it to the chapter on the Netherworld. </p><p>Adam and Barbara had their eyes focused on the first page of said chapter, feelings of curiosity and interest washing over them. </p><p>Betelgeuse let out an unneeded, unnecessary sigh, beginning to read. </p><p>Though Adam and Barbara had to both help him out with certain words that he couldn't understand, as well as words he seemed to be misunderstanding. It amused them greatly when Betelgeuse happened to mispronounce a really easy word that both ghosts were sure he understood. </p><p>And, as the night turned to morning, Barbara and Adam, now both snoring away, their eyes closed, curled up against Betelgeuse with their hands resting on his chest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Guided Information</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Could you tell us more? About the Netherworld?" Barbara's request was sincere, curious. </p><p>In response, Betelgeuse tilted his head to the side and then nodded, looking over towards Barbara and Adam. "That depends on what you want to know about it. There's a lot of things about the Netherworld that I know. I can tell you whatever, but it depends on what you mean by your question." </p><p>Barbara turned to Adam, the two of them nodding in unison before turning back towards Betelgeuse. </p><p>"That question I asked before we ended up falling asleep unintentionally," Barbara clarified with a slight laugh. "I'm still curious as to how exactly the Netherworld works, or how it has worked since.... you know..." </p><p>"Since I got rid of my ma via Sandworm?" Betelgeuse asked, to which Barbara responded with a few simple nods. </p><p>"Yeah... that." </p><p>Betelgeuse looked off to the side before looking back at Adam and Barbara - met with equal curious looks on both ghosts' faces. </p><p>He mirrored them in a slight amusement, tilting his head to the side and snickering when Adam and Barbara quickly grew confused before tilting their heads as well and snickering at the same time. Betelgeuse righted himself after a brief few minutes, summoning back the Handbook for the Recently Deceased and flipping through it again until he'd found the section on how the Netherworld worked - lucky it was at the beginning of the book. And he was extra lucky to have skipped the first page of the chapter. Why did there have to be a long and lengthy few pages that listed just how many editions there were of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased?</p><p>"Okay," he finally said after a few long minutes. Or was it an hour ? Two hours? "Chapter One, Section One: How the Netherworld Works." </p><p>Barbara and Adam both shifted a little closer to him, moving so that they were now sitting on either side of Betelgeuse and looking down at the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. As Betelgeuse read on, they listened. And, it wasn’t that much long before he was done. </p><p>Closing the Handbook, Betelgeuse looked from Adam to Barbara and back again. “You got any questions, guys?” </p><p>“Yeah, what’s up with your hair? I’ve never seen that color before.” Barbara squinted, looking confusedly up at Betelgeuse’s hair. He gave her a confused look, which was soon mirrored on her face. </p><p>“What color is it?” </p><p>“Some sort of grayish pinkish bluish shade.... it’s kinda hard to tell. Seeming as how it’s kinda faded and pale. A little on the light side. What emotion exactly is that hair color supposed to be tied to?” </p><p>“I don’t really know. This has never happened to me before...” </p><p>“Do you want us to talk to Delia about this when she, Lydia, and Charles get home?” Barbara asked, again confusedly looking at Betelgeuse. </p><p>He looked away, thinking to himself for a brief moment, then turned back to Barbara. “I think it’s best we leave Debra out of-” </p><p>A few knocks were heard on the attic door, followed closely behind by the worried sound of Lydia’s voice. “Guys, we’re home! Are you in here?” </p><p>Adam and Barbara got up off the bed they’d been sitting on whilst Betelgeuse snapped his fingers and made said bed disappear - turning it back into a couch. Barbara, followed closely behind by Adam, slowly made her way over towards the attic door - opening it just a little and letting Lydia in. The teenager entered the attic, two bags hidden behind her back but also in view of the Maitlands.</p><p>Barbara peered around Lydia, trying to see exactly what was in the bags. But Lydia, in a teasing sort of way, kept the bags hidden more out of her ghost mother’s sight. And that, in turn, just caused Adam and Barbara to get even more curious as to what could be in the bags - them even turning into dogs whilst giving Lydia puppy dog eyes. </p><p>After a brief while though, they turned back to their regular selves surprised that they could do that. Looking over at Lydia, they could tell that she was equally as surprised. Looking down, the Maitlands both noticed that she had now set the two bags down on the floor in front of them. </p><p>One after the other, both ghosts willed their respective gift bags into their hands. Lydia had stepped back just a little, looking over towards the Maitlands with a look of expectation and a smile on her face. Waiting for them both to open their gifts. They looked from their gift bags to Lydia, questioning looks flashing across both of their faces. </p><p>“Oh! I think you should open them at the same time, guys!” Lydia said, looking between both ghosts - who nodded and slowly opened their bags at the same time. </p><p>Inside both of the gift bags were ghostly white frames containing pictures that Lydia had managed to develop of both of them with their first names written across the bottom parts of both of the frames. The Maitlands looked from their gifts to Lydia, then back to their gifts then back at Lydia. They levitated them both gently and safely over towards an empty space on one of the walls in the attic, putting them side by side on said wall. </p><p>“Oh! These are amazing! We love them! How’d you manage to do that, Lydia? When’d you manage to do that?” Barbara asked, a few ghostly tears dripping down both her and Adam’s faces. </p><p>“Oh, I developed the photos and somehow managed to make you guys show up in them a while ago,” Lydia explained, the Maitlands nodding in response. “I had to keep them both a surprise from you guys until I’d found frames for them.” </p><p>“C’mere Lydia,” Barbara said as she and Adam opened their arms to give the teenager each a hug. Lydia moved closer to them, wrapping her arms around the Maitlands as they did the same. The three of them stayed like that for a little while longer, only parting when Lydia’s dad and Delia entered the attic. </p><p>Barbara and Adam gently turned and walked over towards the two of them, Adam being the one who spoke. “How was your vacation, guys?”</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Pin the Blame on the Goth</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Minor edits made 5/4/21</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One minute, the house was calm and quiet. The next, there was the reverberation of a loud crashing noise coming from the second floor of the house. All four of the Maitland-Deetz adults got upstairs and to the source of the said crash - the Maitlands first, followed a few seconds later by Charles and Delia. Right in the middle of the upstairs hallway, Betelgeuse sat, his hair a mixed shade of blue and purple. </p><p>Around him were what all four of the adults assumed were the cause of the crash. </p><p>Although she, like the other three, felt the slightest bit of anger, Barbara, in a confused tone of voice, was the first to speak. "What on earth happened here?" </p><p>"Hey! Don't look at me," Betelgeuse said softly, his hair quickly losing the previous shade of purple and blue and becoming a certain color that implied to all four adults that he was, in fact, lying about what happened. "It was all Lydia's fault!"</p><p>At that moment, with a look of annoyance apparent on her face, Lydia peeked her head out of her room and glanced over towards her family. "What?! No it wasn't! I had nothing to do with it!" </p><p>"Yes it was! I wasn't up here when the crash happened!" Betelgeuse shot back, turning his head and glaring over at his best friend as she stuck her tongue out at him and exited her bedroom still just as annoyed as she was earlier. </p><p>"Alright, you two! Enough!" Barbara stepped forward and came to a stop in front of the two of them with her hands on her hips and her gaze locked on them. Adam, Charles, and Delia all moved to stand beside her - all of them equally as stern and folding their arms. "Now, what exactly is going on here?!" </p><p>"Uhhh..." Lydia and Betelgeuse found themselves uttering out at the exact same time as they turned to look at one another before looking back over towards all four of the equally furious adults. Pointing accusingly over towards the other one, they both shouted out two equally as annoyed, "They did it! It wasn't me!"s at the exact same time. </p><p>Barbara let out a sigh, resting a hand against her forehead and closing her eyes for a brief few moments. </p><p>Opening them again and looking pointedly back at Lydia and Betelgeuse, Barbara went back to being stern like before. "Look, it doesn't matter right now which one of you two caused the crash. We just want to know how it happened." </p><p>It was then that they all noticed that Betelgeuse's hair had since become completely purple in color, and that he was nervously looking off to the side. Lydia went to join and stand over near the rest of the family. Still as annoyed. And now crossing her arms and glaring solidly over at Betelgeuse. </p><p>Barbara kneeled down in front of Betelgeuse, followed behind by the rest of the adults. Now calm, she put her hand under Betelgeuse's chin and lifted his head so that she was looking the demon in the eyes and took his hand in her other, free one. "Betelgeuse, was it you who caused that crash to happen?" </p><p>"Yeah," he steadily admitted after a brief and short while, though his tone of voice was still soft as before. "It was me." </p><p>His hair went from purple to blue in an instant as he turned away from them and squeezed his eyes shut tight, which left all four adults looking at him and then at each other with equal looks of worry. Equal looks of concern. Equal looks of confusion. All mixed into one.</p><p>"Don't leave me alone again! Don't hate me!" he nervously uttered out, his voice sounding a little fearful. </p><p>"What makes you think we're going to leave you alone again?" Barbara's voice was gentle and soft. Calm even. Betelgeuse opened his eyes at that and turned his attention back over towards all four adults. "You know that that's not going to happen, right? We can't keep on explaining that to you over and over again." </p><p>"Because, I was thrown backwards after snapping my fingers and ended up crashing into a nearby closet. I'm sorry for causing all of this."</p><p>"It's okay. It was just an accident. Adam and I will clean it up with our powers. If you wanted to talk, then you can go upstairs to the attic and we both can join you up there as soon as we possibly can. Sound good?" </p><p>Betelgeuse nodded in response, snapping his fingers and teleporting up to the attic. </p><p>Barbara sighed as she and Adam stood up, followed by Charles and Delia. Lydia had since retreated back into her bedroom, closing her door behind her. And soon, Charles and Delia went back to their room as well. For a little while at least. And that left just Adam and Barbara standing together on the upstairs landing - the both of them looking over at the mess that'd been caused by Betelgeuse. </p><p>"I still don't get why Betelgeuse would immediately blame that mess on Lydia," Adam said as he turned his attention over towards Barbara - who hummed in agreement. "I mean, I could immediately tell that it was him that caused that mess even before he admitted such. Since his hair color at the time was evident."</p><p>"But it sounded like he was blaming her for this mess." Barbara gestured towards the mess that was still in the middle of the upstairs landing. "Because she blamed him for a mess that she herself had caused not too long ago. Not to mention that it's far more likely that they're going to keep on blaming one another for future messes." </p><p>"You guys talking about me?" The Maitlands turned to find Lydia leaning against the doorway and looking over towards them. Their attention directed away from the mess from earlier and towards Lydia, the two ghosts moved to stand over near her - Barbara turning herself solid and leaning against the wall just outside Lydia's bedroom. "What's going on?"</p><p>"We were actually just discussing why Betelgeuse blamed you for the mess," Barbara chose to respond, causing Lydia to roll her eyes in annoyance. "I figured it had something to do with you blaming him for a mess that you yourself caused." </p><p>"C'mon, you guys. That was last Tuesday afternoon. He wanted to eat my homework, I responded by angrily throwing my trash can at him and it ended up all over one of my all time favorite posters. A poster of which I'm still mad that I now no longer have. So technically it's both of our faults."</p><p>"I said that I was sorry that I wanted to eat your homework in the first place over a dozen times, Scarecrow!" Betelgeuse's voice sounded from above the three of them. They looked up at once to find half of his form phased through the ceiling and upside down. </p><p>"Whatever!" Lydia turned, closing her bedroom door behind her with a silent slam.</p><p>Adam and Barbara kept their attention focused solely on Betelgeuse - who remained phased through the ceiling and was now grinning down at the Maitlands. Adam, after a brief moment of silence that befell the three of them, opted to speak up. "Betelgeuse, I thought you were waiting for us in the attic."</p><p>"I was," Betelgeuse responded immediately. "And then I got bored after a while when you two never came up here to talk to me like you said you would earlier. Hey, do you guys want me to make the mess I caused a lot bigger and messier?" </p><p>"We'd rather you not,” Barbara said, sounding stern as she folded her arms and scowled up at him. “Can you go back up to the attic and wait for us. Like we said earlier, we’ll just clean that mess that you made up and then we’ll come up to the attic.” </p><p>It took a while, but Betelgeuse phased back up into the attic. The Maitlands sighed, turning their attention back down towards Betelgeuse’s mess. It was certainly a lot bigger and a lot messier than it had been much earlier. Had Betelgeuse snapped his fingers and done that without either of them knowing?</p><p>“You know what?” Adam lowered his voice down to a whisper as he continued. “After we talk to Betelgeuse, how about the two of us and him have a cuddle session in the attic. It would certainly get our minds off of what happened, wouldn’t it?” </p><p>A look of uncertainty immediately flashed across Barbara’s face as she too lowered her voice to a whisper. “Hmmm... I dunno ‘bout that, Adam.”</p><p>“C’mon, Barb. Please? I know for a fact that he’d be into it.” </p><p>After a brief bit of thought, Barbara finally nodded. </p><p>"Yeah. You're right. A quick cuddle session between us and Betelgeuse doesn’t sound half bad. I’m in,” Barbara both finally and quietly responded, quickly snapping her fingers and cleaning away the mess as if it had never been there to begin with.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. It’s a Demon Thing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey, Betelgeuse?" </p><p>At the sound of Barbara's voice, Betelgeuse looked up from where he was in the attic and over in one corner, spotting Adam and Barbara standing in the doorway of the attic and looking towards him. As they began to make their way over towards him, a full on pinkish shade flashed across his hair and became lighter as the Maitlands both got up onto the same bed that they and Betelgeuse had last used two weeks ago - shifting closer to and curling up against him. </p><p>He relaxed at that, draping his arms around the Maitlands' shoulder as some yellow showed up in his hair. "Talk or cuddle first?" </p><p>Barbara looked up at Betelgeuse at the same time as Adam did. "How about we do both? It's easier that way, isn't it?" </p><p>Betelgeuse looked from Barbara to Adam and then turned back towards Barbara as he, and Adam, nodded. It seemed like a better idea. Some green filtered through Betelgeuse's hair as he leaned backwards - the Maitlands once again moving towards and curling up next to him. This time laying on their sides and putting their hands on his stomach. </p><p>They stayed like that for at least a little while longer. After a few minutes, Adam and Barbara removed their hands from Betelgeuse's stomach and sat up - looking down towards him. And it seemed he had taken the cue - also sitting up. </p><p>"So, what're we talkin' bout?" </p><p>"Whatever we want," Adam said, his voice a little soft. </p><p>Betelgeuse nodded slowly. "Like if we should take this threesome relationship one step further?" </p><p>"Anything other than that, Betelgeuse," Barbara was quick to say. "We're still taking things slowly, remember?"</p><p>"How sexy Adam is?"</p><p>"Let's not go there. At least not quite yet and not right now." Adam let out a small and quiet sounding sigh, shaking his head. Barbara tried to contain her laughter but couldn't exactly help herself when just one little giggle let itself out. </p><p>"Why the sky is black?" </p><p>"Betelgeuse, the sky is not-." Barbara turned her head and glanced off to the side, looking out a nearby window and noting that it was now nighttime.</p><p>"I'm tired of talking," Betelgeuse whined, going right back to laying down in the center of the bed. "I want to cuddle. Can we go back to cuddling?" </p><p>"But we barely had a chance to have a conversation," Barbara said, before trailing off and glancing over towards Adam. </p><p>"Please?" </p><p>Barbara sighed, rolling her eyes as she and Adam moved to again lay down on either side of Betelgeuse and putting their hands back on the demon's stomach. At that, Betelgeuse's hair turned pink again and he put his hands on the Maitlands' backs. They stayed like that for a while longer - not even bothering to notice the sky going from night to dawn before becoming day. At least until they heard Lydia calling out to them that she was headed to school for the day and that she was coming up to the attic once she got home.</p><p>"Kay!" Barbara and Adam shouted back to her, Barbara shifting a little closer to Betelgeuse.</p><p>Then she sat up and looked over towards her male partners. "Do you think maybe we should stop?" </p><p>"No, continue," Betelgeuse said. "Keep cuddling." </p><p>"But time moves differently for the dead, right?"</p><p>"Yeah!" Betelgeuse affirmed. </p><p>"And Lydia should be coming home from school any time now?"</p><p>"Looks like it." Adam sat up and glanced over towards the window, seeing that it was now the late afternoon. And, as if by magic, the sound of knocking and Lydia's voice were heard from the other side of the door. </p><p>"Adam, Barbara, I'm home! Can I come in? I need help with my homework." </p><p>"Sure!" Barbara said, her and Adam standing up at once as Betelgeuse snapped his fingers and turned the bed back into a couch. This one far different than the usual couch. </p><p>Soon Adam and Barbara, followed behind by by Lydia, all came back over towards where Betelgeuse was. An amused look crossed Adam and Barbara's faces as they folded their arms and eyed the demon.</p><p>"Bj, what'd you do to the couch?" Barbara's tone was stern, though she was also curious and still amused. So it sounded like she was pretending to be stern. </p><p>"Nothin'," lied Betelgeuse, leaning backwards on the couch and resting his hands behind his head. </p><p>"You know what, it doesn't matter," Barbara eventually said, letting out a sigh and shaking her head slowly and a few times. "It's still a couch, we're fine with it. Now, can you get up please? Adam and I need to help Lydia with her homework." </p><p>Betelgeuse, on the other hand, took that as meaning something completely different. "Do you not want me around?" </p><p>Barbara turned to Adam then back towards Betelgeuse. "No, we still want you around and that's not what I meant when I said that at all. I just wanted you to get up from the couch and move off to the side so we could use the couch to help Lydia with her homework." </p><p>"Right, then I'll just leave and go bother Chuck and Debra instead." Betelgeuse prepared to snap his fingers and leave the attic for now, but Barbara speaking up stopped the demon in his tracks and caused him to turn towards her with a sort of incredulous expression crossing his face. </p><p>"I'm pretty sure they're at work right now."</p><p>"No, they're home. I can hear their voices downstairs."</p><p>"How do you know that?" Barbara questioned, sounding stumped. </p><p>"It's a demon thing." Betelgeuse winked at Barbara and Adam before snapping his fingers and teleporting out of the attic and downstairs.</p><p>"He said that he could hear Charles and Delia downstairs." Barbara turned her head and focused her attention towards Adam and Lydia - both of whom were equally just as stumped as she was. “Can we do that too, Adam, or?” </p><p>“I don’t think so,” Adam was quick to say. “Since Betelgeuse did tell us that that was a demon thing. But it’s still pretty interesting to know. Maybe we can ask him more about it later when we finish helping Lydia with her homework and he gets bored of bothering Lydia’s dad and Delia.”</p><p>Barbara nodded in agreement. “Yeah, you’re right. I wonder just how much we don’t know about Betelgeuse... or about ourselves...”</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. In Which The Maitlands Learn More About Themselves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Betelgeuse appearing in a flash startled Charles and Delia - who were both in the middle of putting stuff away - to no end. The sounds of the bags they were holding crashing to the floor reverberated around the first and second floors of the house and the two older living people seemed panicked. But eventually, they recomposed themselves and calmed down enough to finish with what they were doing.</p><p>Betelgeuse had now moved to stand in a doorway, watching the older Deetzes and waiting until they were focused on something else. This prank the demon had in his mind, was sure to be a good one. But first...</p><p>"Do you guys mind if I hang around you for a while?"</p><p>It was Charles who chose to answer, standing up and turning to look pointedly over at the demon. "As long as you don't cause any mischief or chaos around us, you can. That means no pranks, Betelgeuse. NO pranks!" </p><p>Betelgeuse's hair became a mix between purple and blue, but he nodded slowly in response anyway. "No pranks, got it! Sure thing, Chuck!" </p><p>Charles, sighing and shaking his head, turned back to what he was doing. But that wouldn't last that long. At the instance of a loud clanging noise, Charles turned to face Betelgeuse again - looking unhappy and crossing his arms. He looked down at the stuff that was all over the floor before looking back up at Betelgeuse. </p><p>"That wasn't me. That was the Maitlands," Betelgeuse said as he tried not to sound like he was lying. But Charles didn't seem to buy it. </p><p>"The Maitlands wouldn't usually do stuff like that though," Delia replied, also turning around and looking at Betelgeuse. </p><p>Though she wasn't as angry as Charles was. She bent down in order to pick up one of the few things that was on the floor and put it back down where it had originally been. Then another... and another... until all of it was picked up.</p><p>"Not do stuff like what?" Barbara's confused tone of voice was heard from the stairs, causing Charles, Delia, and Betelgeuse to look up. They were surprised to find Barbara, Adam, and Lydia standing together on the stairs and looking down at them in confusion. </p><p>The six of them stayed like that for a little while longer, until the Maitlands and Lydia turned and continued on their way down the stairs and into the kitchen. </p><p>"What's going on?"</p><p>"Betelgeuse decided to blame something he did on you guys," Delia explained as she and Charles put the last of the stuff they'd gotten away. Turning towards the Maitlands as the sound of Charles' angered voice was heard behind her. </p><p>Not one of the three of them said a single word. At least for a little while, that was. </p><p>"What'd he do this time?" Barbara sounded stern, putting a hand on her hip as she turned and gazed at Betelgeuse. </p><p>"Threw various things at the floor just to mess with Charles and I," Delia replied, looking from one ghost to the other. "After Charles had told him not to cause chaos and mischief or pull any pranks." </p><p>"So, normal ghost stuff?" Adam asked. "Cause Barb and I certainly did experience a lot of similar stuff to that back when we were still alive." </p><p>"That was all me!" Betelgeuse's voice sounded from behind them. </p><p>They turned towards the area in which Betelgeuse's voice had come from but the demon wasn't behind them. Turning their attention back over towards the living room, the Maitlands and Delia found Betelgeuse floating in midair and grinning mischievously towards Adam and Barbara. </p><p>At that, he teleported out of the living room and back into the kitchen - leaving a stunned but still unhappy Charles just standing there as the living male turned towards the kitchen again as well. Lydia sat down on the couch, switching on the television and putting on whatever paranormal show was on at the moment. But after a while, she seemed to get up - leaving said show on and playing in the background. </p><p>Reentering the kitchen, Lydia climbed up onto the kitchen island and stood up on it. At the first indication of Lydia about to fall off the island, Barbara and Adam quickly acted - rushing over to the edge of the island and focusing some, if not all, of their energy onto making sure the teenager was safe. At the sounds of Charles and Delia gasping in shock in unison then falling silent, the Maitlands looked up to find that they were making Lydia levitate in midair with their energy. Not their powers this time. This felt different.</p><p>They focused a little more of their energy on setting Lydia safely back down on the kitchen floor and releasing it from themselves, and sat down at the kitchen island to regain some of the energy that they'd given up. They looked up as Betelgeuse teleported next to them and was looking down at them with a look on his face that indicated surprise. And the same exact thought ran through both ghosts' minds as they looked back up towards him. </p><p>"Can all ghosts do that?" Barbara asked, sitting upright with her attention still focused over towards Betelgeuse. "Or is that sort of thing rare?" </p><p>"It's not rare, but it's not something that all ghosts can do," Betelgeuse explained with the Maitlands nodding along - both of them equally as intrigued about this whole thing as the other one was. "It only happens when ghosts have a parental like connection with a living person." </p><p>"Like the connection Barbara and I share with Lydia?" </p><p>"Yeah," Betelgeuse confirmed with a few nods. </p><p>"Can you explain a little more about this?" Barbara asked, turning the attention of Betelgeuse from Adam to her. "The energy part, I mean. All of that is making me curious." </p><p>"Same here," Adam spoke up, sounding equally as curious as Barbara was. </p><p>As the sky became dark to indicate night and the sounds of the Deetz' voices faded upstairs as they retreated to their rooms, Betelgeuse looked from Adam to Barbara as he summoned the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. He opened it to the first page in the chapter/section on ghosts and slid it over towards Adam - who glanced down towards it with even more curiosity than before as he began to read. </p><p>"Ghosts are supernatural beings made of energy that-"</p><p>"Wait?!" Barbara spoke up, interrupting her husband mid sentence as she again looked over towards Betelgeuse. "Adam and I ... we're made of energy?"</p><p>"Keen observation, Babs," Betelgeuse responded. "But yes, you two are made of energy. I would've thought that you had learned this much earlier but... seriously, you guys, all of this information slipped by you for a few months?"</p><p>"It doesn't matter! Could you please just tell us more about this energy stuff?" Adam asked out of annoyance as he slid the Handbook for the Recently Deceased back over towards Betelgeuse. "Please?"</p><p>"Yeah, Adam's right." Barbara shifted a little. "What other things can we do with all of this energy? And why are we made of energy? What's with it?"</p><p>"I'm glad you asked," Betelgeuse said as he turned his attention onto the Handbook for the Recently Deceased and began to read. "Going off from where sexy left off last... ghosts are supernatural beings made of energy that can use said energy to do..."</p>
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